And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 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 (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
The following is a story that illustrates very simply why Christian parents should take the work and responsibility of discipling children very seriously. Our children are precious. They are entrusted to us for a few days. How critical it is that we make the most of the short time that we have to raise, guide, and disciple them. The Ten Commandments project is a tool to help us do just that.
“All rise for the Honorable Judge James Jackson!” said the bailiff
Judge Jackson marched into the courtroom and was seated and then said, “Let us proceed with the first case on the docket.”
“Your Honor, this first case involves Jimmy Smith, a 17-year-old charged with armed robbery with a deadly weapon,” said the district attorney in a very stern voice.
Attorney Brown, the defense attorney, quickly responded “Your Honor, the charges are not accurate.”
“Are you saying your client didn’t rob the store?” asked the judge.
“No. I’m saying that he did not have a deadly weapon,” replied Attorney Brown.
“I have as a key witness, the store clerk who was present, and she said that he had a gun,” said the DA.
“My client did not have a gun,” responded Attorney Brown.
“Are you saying my witness isn’t telling the truth?” asked the DA.
“Miss Thomas, come to the stand,” said the judge.
Miss Thomas ascended to the stand.
“Didn’t you see Mr. Smith point a gun at you? Didn’t you clearly see that Mr. Smith had a gun?”
“Well, he had a gun; it was just in the pocket of his jacket,” said Miss Thomas.
“Well Mr. Brown?” said the DA.
“Miss Thomas, did you see Mr. Smith holding a gun?” asked Attorney Brown.
“Well, he had one, it was just in his jacket pocket,” she replied
“Your Honor, my client did not have a gun in his pocket.”
“Well,” said Judge Jackson “what deadly weapon did he have in his pocket?”
“Judge, my client had a banana in his pocket,” stated Attorney Brown.
“A banana?” asked the Judge looking bewildered.
“Yes, your Honor, a banana,” said attorney Brown.
“Your Honor, this is a ridiculous thing for Mr. Brown to say. But we can clear this up very easily. Officer Jones, the arresting officer is here.”
Judge Jackson: “Officer Jones, please come to the stand”
Officer Jones ascended to the witness stand.
“Officer Jones, did you arrest Mr. Smith on that day?” quipped the DA.
“Yes sir,” replied Officer Jones.
“Didn’t Mr. Smith have a weapon in his pocket?”
“Well, no he did not. Miss Thomas told us that he had a gun, but we didn’t find a gun in his possession.”
“Well, what did you find in his pocket?” asked the DA impatiently.
“Well,” said Officer Jones sort of stumbling with his words. “We found a banana in his pocket.”
“So, Mr. Smith,” said Judge Jackson “you robbed the store with a banana?”
“Yes sir,” said Mr. Smith.
“Mr. Smith, are going to sit there and tell me that you robbed a store with a banana?”
“Yes, your Honor.”
Judge Jackson bellowed with laughter!
He then looked at Miss Thomas and said, “Miss Thomas, did you ever see a gun?”
“Well, Judge, I didn’t ever actually see one. I just assumed that it was a gun in his pocket.”
“In all my years as a judge, this beats all I have ever heard” stated the Judge.
“Mr. Smith, you committed armed robbery with a banana. I have to say, that takes skill. Why did you try to rob that store with a banana?”
Mr. Smith replied, “I’m scared of guns.”
“You are scared of guns?” asked the judge.
“Yes, and my mama taught me to never play with guns, stay away from guns, and never point guns at people. And I try to do what my mama taught me to do,” said Mr. Smith.
“Well good for your mama,” said the Judge.
“But Mr. Smith did your mama not teach you that one of the Ten Commandments says, “You shall not steal?” asked the judge.
“Well, no sir, she never mentioned nothing like that. I know that for a fact because if she had told me that, I would have remembered. There are a lot of things that I’ve done wrong. But one thing I can say that I have done right is, I listened to a lot of things my mama taught me.”
“Mr. Smith?” said the judge curiously, “In my 40 years as a judge, you have won the prize.”
“Miss Thomas, what did Mr. Smith steal?”
Miss Thomas stated, “He took a gallon of milk, a pack of hot dogs, and a loaf of bread.”
“Mr. Smith, why did you take these items?”
“Judge, my two little children were hungry. I am raising them by myself and I don’t have a job and I didn’t have any money. And they was hungry.”
Judge Jackson paused and just stared at Mr. Smith for a few moments.
“Mr. Smith, I tell you what I’m going to do. I am going to give you probation. But I want you back in my court in three days. Do you have a Bible?”
“No sir.”
“Well here. I am giving you mine. In three days, I want you back in my court, and I want you to recite for me the Ten Commandments from memory. If you can do it, I will drop the charges. If you don’t, I am locking you up for six months. Got it?”
“Yes sir!” Mr. Smith said smiling really big.
“Do you want a job?”
“Yes sir!”
Well, meet me in my office late today at 4:00 and I am going to connect you with someone who I believe can give you one. Can I expect you at 4:00 in my office today?”
“Yes sir!”
The words of King Lemuel, the oracle, which his mother taught him: What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows? (Proverbs 31:1-2 AMP)
Parents, your children are listening. They listen sometimes when you think they are listening. And they are listening sometimes when you don’t think they are listening.
Every day, teach them wisdom and truth. Guide them to read the Word of God daily. Live a lifestyle of teaching and instructing daily wisdom from God’s Word. They are always listening to something. Let’s help them to hear, receive, and live the right things – wisdom and insight from the Word of God.
Faithfully and diligently discipling our children is so critical – to all believers.
