FCS Blog

 SCHOOL IS DISCIPLESHIP. WE ARE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE THAT WE ARE
HELPING TO SHAPE THE NEXT GENERATION. OUR DESIRE IS TO DO THAT WELL. WE CANNOT ACCOMPLISH THIS
APART FROM THE WORD WHICH IS WHY THE BIBLE IS THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT WE TEACH, HOW WE LEAD,
AND THE WAY WE MOLD THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THAT AUTHORITY AND OBEDIENCE ARE PART OF GOD’S DESIGN FOR ORDER AND
GROWTH. YET IT APPEARS THAT THE SURROUNDING CULTURE HAS BEGUN TO INFLUENCE THE WAY MANY
CHILDREN ARE RAISED AND DISCIPLINED MORE THAN THE WORD OF GOD HAS. CULTURAL MESSAGES OFTEN
ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO QUESTION, NEGOTIATE, AND CHALLENGE AUTHORITY AT EVERY TURN. WHILE ASKING
THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS CAN BE HEALTHY, CONSTANT NEGOTIATION OVER SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS CREATES
CONFUSION ABOUT AUTHORITY.
THE BIBLE GIVES US A VERY SIMPLE PRINCIPLE: “LET YOUR YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO.” CLEAR,
CONSISTENT BOUNDARIES ARE A GIFT TO CHILDREN. THEY PROVIDE SECURITY, STRUCTURE, AND
UNDERSTANDING.
CHILDREN NEED TO HEAR BOTH “YES” AND “NO.” IN FACT, THEY NEED TO BECOME JUST AS FAMILIAR WITH “NO”
AS THEY ARE WITH “YES.” WHEN CHILDREN RARELY HEAR “NO,
” IT CAN BECOME SHOCKING OR UPSETTING WHEN
IT FINALLY COMES. HOWEVER WHEN “NO” IS PART OF NORMAL, LOVING GUIDANCE, IT DOES NOT SHAKE THEIR
WORLD—IT HELPS SHAPE THEIR CHARACTER.
SOMETIMES CHILDREN BEGIN TO THINK THAT “NO” SIMPLY MEANS THE BEGINNING OF A NEGOTIATION. THEY
ASK AGAIN, PLEAD THEIR CASE, OR WAIT FOR AN ADULT TO CHANGE THEIR MIND. IN THE CLASSROOM, HOWEVER,
THAT APPROACH SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK. A TEACHER CANNOT STOP INSTRUCTION TO NEGOTIATE EVERY
DIRECTION OR CORRECTION WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, LEARNING TO ACCEPT “NO”
TEACHES AN ESSENTIAL TRUTH: LIFE IS NOT CENTERED AROUND ME. THERE ARE BOUNDARIES, RESPONSIBILITIES,
AND AUTHORITIES THAT WE MUST RESPECT. WHEN WE SAY “NO” TO OUR CHILDREN, WE SHOULD SAY IT WITH LOVE, CLARITY, AND CONFIDENCE. SAY NO
AND MEAN IT. AVOID TURNING EVERY BOUNDARY INTO A DEBATE. CONSISTENCY HELPS CHILDREN UNDERSTAND
EXPECTATIONS AND DEVELOP RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY.
THE REALITY IS THAT THROUGHOUT LIFE THERE WILL BE MANY MOMENTS WHEN THE ANSWER IS SIMPLY “NO.”
TEACHING CHILDREN TO ACCEPT THAT TRUTH EARLY HELPS PREPARE THEM FOR ADULTHOOD, FOR
RELATIONSHIPS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, FOR THEIR WALK WITH CHRIST. AS PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND MENTORS, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO SHAPE YOUNG
HEARTS ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD RATHER THAN CULTURAL TRENDS. WHEN OUR HOMES AND CLASSROOMS
REFLECT BIBLICAL TRUTH, WE ARE NOT MERELY CORRECTING BEHAVIOR—WE ARE DISCIPLING THE NEXT
GENERATION.