Craig Clouston

Teach With Creative Wisdom

Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded. The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.

Proverbs 13:14

“This is stupid!” Jason’s frustration was directed at his homework assignment.

“Watch your mouth young man!” his mother admonished. “What are you complaining about?”

“Math! I hate it!” he spat. “Why’s it so important that I know how to divide fractions? I’m never gonna use this stuff when I grow up anyway!”

Seeing an opportunity to change her son’s frustration into curiosity, she asked, “You want to help your dad build houses someday, right?”

“Yah…” Jason answered tentatively. “What’s that got to do with math homework?”

“Well, your dad uses math all the time,” she said. “As a matter of fact, that tape measure you’re so fond of playing with is math-on-a-stick.”

“No way!” Jason said.

“Yes way!” she said smiling. “Have you ever looked closely at the lines and numbers painted on the yellow surface of the tape?”

“Sure, I’ve seen em,” he answered. “Dad makes marks beside ‘em. That’s what I’m talkin’ bout!” Jason said victoriously. “You don’t need math to use a tape measure…it’s got the numbers already printed out for ya. All you gotta do is mark where the numbers tell ya to.”

“How will you know which numbers to make a mark beside if you don’t know how to add, subtract, or divide?” she quietly asked.

“Dad’ll teach me!” he said confidently.

“Dad’ll be teaching you how to do math then,” she said.

The look of surprise on his face told her that her son needed a minute to think about that.

“Dad uses math?” came his bewildered response.

“Couldn’t do his job without it,” she said.

†

We, as parents, have the opportunity to create curiosity and wonder in the minds of our children. We can make learning exciting by attaching significance to their field of study.

And like Jason’s mother, we need to be creative.

In verse 13 Solomon says whoever scorns instruction will suffer. Our children are the ones who will suffer if we fail to make learning exciting and desirable. Solomon also says that whoever teaches with wisdom is passing on life…life that will see our children contributing in great ways to God’s kingdom in society.

Prayer

“Omniscient Father, give me the imagination and creative wisdom necessary to help my children enjoy learning. Amen.”