School attendance is important. It’s so important that it is legally mandatory in most states. For most of us we would never consider letting children miss school. We get them there, demand a thorough education and support the teachers by requiring homework to be completed and turned in. That’s good. We should. But some have a different opinion about Sunday school and Bible classes. Children are allowed to decide for themselves if they want to go. We aren’t too concerned if they miss a class or two and almost never encourage them to do their Sunday School homework. I think we we make a mistake.
The Bible says we are to teach constantly. Speaking to the Israelites God said:
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hands and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9; Deuteronomy 11:19)
David understood the importance of knowing God’s word:
“Teach me your way O Lord, that I may walk in your truth…” (Psalm 86:11)
One cannot know what he is not taught. If he is not taught at home who will teach him? Can we agree that presence in Bible class is important? Tell me, if your 5th or 6th grader announced one morning that he just didn’t want to go to school anymore would you accept that? Would you allow him to remain home without teaching? No one wants to raise a child of ignorance nor should we. Why then would we raise a child who is ignorant of the greatest book ever written? What if your child announced that he was not going to bathe anymore? Acceptable? Certainly not. Children are compelled to do certain things. Parents are expect to ensure their child is educated and that their hygienic needs are met. So what do we struggle with Bible class and worship?
Perhaps we know that requiring our children attend Bible class reflects upon our own absenteeism. Does their absence bring a twinge of hypocritical guilt? Resolve now to “train up a child in the way that he should go” (Proverbs 22:6) and you will not be disappointed.
