As Moses neared the close of his life, he longed to transfer to those who followed him the legacy of faith and trust in God that had become his own. Inspired by God, the aging leader sought, like the runners of the Olympiad, to “pass on the torch” to a new generation in the messages set down in the book of Deuteronomy.

What Moses faced is similar to what parents face as they ponder the need to convey to their children spiritual convictions and a religious heritage. Deuteronomy 6:4-25 contains counsel from God that will help us today as we think about fostering faith in our families.

Teach God’s Word Diligently

“You shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deut. 6:7). God’s covenant with His people is intended to be a perpetual one (Gen. 9:12; Ex. 31:16). It was not intended for one generation only. An understanding of God’s covenant with His people does not automatically transfer from one generation to another. The individuals within each succeeding generation must be taught the meaning of the covenant and invited to enter that covenant relationship with God personally.

Deuteronomy emphasizes teaching within the family (Deut. 4:9; 6:20-25; 11:19). The home is to be the center for preserving and passing on truth. In the verses that follow, the counsel to “teach diligently” is explained.

Teach continually: “You . . . shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Deut. 6:7). Instruction from the parents is to be a continual way of life, with spontaneous instruction mingled with more regular times for teaching. “Sitting,” “walking,” “lying down,” and “rising up” describe typical, habitual activities of life. The home is to be the center for preserving and passing on truth.

Teach practically: “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deut. 6:8, 9).  The truths of God’s Word are to govern our actions, symbolized by the hands, and our thinking, symbolized by the forehead. Placing the Word of God on the doorframes of our homes indicates that God’s truth is to be our identifying mark, just as blood on the doorframe of Israelite homes in Egypt provided an identifying mark so that the family within would be saved (cf. Ex. 12:7, 13).

Teach wisely: “When your son asks you in time to come, . . . then you shall say . . .” (Deut. 6:20ff). Here God presents two powerful factors in effective values teaching. A wise parent recognizes the value both of children’s questions and of the personal story. It is the nature of children to be inquisitive. Let us encourage this questioning spirit and thus help them to establish their own faith. Their questions may be difficult, but do not be afraid to try to answer them. Being afraid of questions and discouraging asking them may stifle a child’s faith.

We must answer the questions as they come up, providing adequate and appropriate answers for the child’s developmental level. Each time we answer truthfully, honestly, and openly, we help build trust and prepare the way so that young people will be encouraged to ask the meaningful questions. In response to children’s questions, God instructs parents to respond with their personal story of how He has been active in their lives. Stories teach and inspire imitation as well as entertain.

Live God’s Word Faithfully

“Beware, lest you forget. . . . You shall not go after other gods. . . . Do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord” (Deut. 6:12-18). A faithful Christian life as a parent does not mean a flawless life. God does not require us to be perfect parents, but, in our brokenness and imperfection, to direct our children to the perfect Savior we have found and to guide their feet along the path to find Him for themselves.

Our great purpose is to prepare the way for our children to make a covenant with their God, as we have made a covenant with ours. We cannot coerce or force, but we can lovingly and patiently instruct them. We can live faithfully before them, and we can invite them as did Moses, who said, “Choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deut. 30:19). May we ourselves and our children after us respond as did Joshua: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).