Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

HOMESCHOOL IOWA 19

Therefore, we must teach our children to use the Bible wisely.

They must learn what separates an absolute from a principle

and a principle from a personal boundary. They must under-

stand the why behind the command. They must develop the

habit of comparing whatever they encounter—whether Chris-

tian or not—against God’s standard.

Choosing Good

Finally, having learned to recognize the good and separate it

from evil, our kids now have a choice: Do they keep the good or

the bad?

Of the three parts of discernment, this is the hardest one to

teach. Indeed, it probably can’t be taught. We cannot force any-

one to follow God nor can we make them choose the good.

Yet there are ways to encourage your kids to pursue the good.

First, pray for them. You can plant and water and fertilize, but

God alone causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). So ask Him

for the growth. Second, model a lifestyle of discernment; a good

example is the most powerful testimony to the benefits of dis-

cernment. Third, engage in discussion. Encourage your kids to

ask many questions, and don’t always provide an answer. In fact,

providing all the answers means you are doing the discerning

for them; they aren’t learning to think for themselves. Instead,

answering a question with a question can go further than the

best answer as it forces the kids to come to their own conclu-

sions. It cements the beliefs as theirs.

Facing theWorld

Obviously discernment is not a fail-proof method against the

dangerous ideas we face every day. Error can and will creep in

unwittingly at times. Some kids will still decide the enemy’s lies

sound better than the truth you’ve taught them.

But by teaching them the discipline of discernment, we

equip them with the tools and the training to take every

thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), increasing their odds of

not only surviving but thriving as children of light in this dark

world

A homeschool graduate, Chawna Schroeder is the author of

Bearing the Sword, a curriculum which teaches the basics of

discernment to teenagers. Find out more about Chawna and

her writing at

or connect with her on

Facebook @ChawnaSchroederAuthor.