The glorious benefit in discipling our children at home is that we get the opportunity and supernatural privilege of teaching them perspectives that will serve them well in this life and even more in the life to come. Recently, in our family devotion time, I told my children, “While Christ is King, context is queen.” What did I mean by this?
Teaching our children about understanding the proper context will save them unnecessary embarrassment, regret, and many apologies throughout their time here on the earth. People make quick judgments about situations and people without knowing their back story. For instance, I was at the end of the line at a church potluck. (Whoever said the last shall be first and the first shall be last has not stayed for the church potluck!) Simply put, there was not even a crumb left. One lady was visibly upset because of one young man who heaped his plate to overflowing with little to no thought of those who would come behind. She came to me, asking to say something to him. I, however, knew his backstory. When he was a child, his mother would lock him into a closet for a day or two at a time with no food in the name of “punishment.” He lived much of his life in fear that he would never get food. When I gave her that background, she had a complete change of heart. We should teach our children to be careful to judge anything before its time and without knowing the context.
Additionally, our children need to understand context in order to know how to conduct themselves in the daily interactions of life. Proverbs 25:20 illustrates this:
Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment
on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda. —Proverbs 25:20
There is nothing worse than a bunch of young adults being loud and obnoxious when it is not appropriate; therefore, our children need to be taught to “read the room.” Is it a festive or somber occasion? What time of day is it (Proverbs 27:14). Different times of the day warrants different levels—and volumes—of expression. What level of dress is appropriate? We should teach our children to not be overly dressed as to draw undue attention to themselves or underly dressed to suggest personal comfort is more important than due respect. Also, while we always need to be ready for a spiritual answer in season and out of season, some people try to inject a witnessing opportunity when it is not the best time. Remember, Paul said five words spoken with understanding (and in the proper context) is worth 10,000 in an unknown tongue (1 Cor. 14:19). To understand the context is the result of walking in discretion:
- … discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, –Proverbs 2:11
- My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, –Proverbs 3:21
Helping children understand context will indirectly cause them to think less about themselves and more about the greater good as they try to be increasingly sensitive to the lives around them. Furthermore, while God decides when to exalt and when to bring low, it is our responsibility to prepare our children to function properly at any level or season He chooses. This is what the parents of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. They conducted themselves with such decorum and wisdom that even in a totally secular environment, they were promoted above all the other counselors in Babylon. This is the power of employing context.
While Christ will always be King, understanding and employing context will be like dressing our children with the adornment of a queen. It will open doors of opportunity and create a deep, abiding respect from those with whom they come in contact.
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