Vol. VI No. 14 July 22, 2007

Bible Study is not Punishment!

Written by Christopher Mentzer

It’s been several months since I heard from my “friend” Ryan Hoover who lives in Mentor, OH. He recently sent me an e-mail and I found out why I hadn’t heard from him. He and his wife, Regina, had a baby boy in March! They named him Robert. So now it’s: Ryan, Regina, Rachel, and Robert.

Anyway, in addition to all the latest family news and a slew of photos, he shared this piece of information:

RYAN: A couple weeks ago, Margaret Samuels came into the grocery store with her 6 year old son, Tommy. Her husband, Steve, recently became a Christian and is very much involved in the congregation here. Margaret has no interest in religion or anything pertaining to God. Steve wants to take their son with him on Sundays and Wednesday nights but she refuses to allow him.

I was checking prices on an aisle when she and Tommy came walking down. Tommy was acting up and kept reminding his mother about going to the movie Wednesday night. After about five minutes of his complaints Margaret turned to him and said, “If you don’t behave yourself, you will go to bible study with Dad and not the movie!” The kid began to cry about not wanting to miss the movie. I was shocked to hear that she was using bible class as a form of punishment. I went up to her and expressed my disgust of her use as bible study as punishment. She was very uninterested and plainly asked me why it’s so important.

Without quoting scripture, because I knew that wouldn’t impress her, I took a slightly different approach. I told her bible study is just as important as school work. I asked her if she would allow Tommy to miss school one day a week. She replied “No” and thought that was an absurd question. I told her that bible study should be just as important. God watches over us 24/7 without complaint and all He asks of us is just a handful of hours of study and worship a week. A couple hours Sunday morning, an hour Sunday evening, and an hour or so in the middle of the week. How can that be viewed as punishment or cumbersome?

Surprisingly she seemed to understand where I was coming from and also added that it would build moral character in Tommy that the public schools probably won’t teach. She apologized for her outburst and I assured her that I wasn’t offended. I then offered to come over and study with her and that made her bristle to the point of storming off. As you say, at least I tried.

Quite a story and yet it is not a new problem nor uncommon. I gave Ryan this reply:

CHRIS: Your approach was very good. You seemed to be calm and cool-headed and yet you were firm in your conviction and stood your ground. As the apostle Peter wrote, “but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: `being' ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear.” (1 Pet. 3: 15) You probably could have added scripture in your defense. I understand she wouldn’t necessarily appreciate it, but it not for her but for God to appreciate. Paul wrote in Rom. 1: 16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” And less we forget 2 Tim. 2: 15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV)

He wrote back a day later,

RYAN: Thanks for the advice Chris. You are right. Speaking of temper tantrums, the whole incident with little Tommy reminded me of something that happened with Rachel but that will keep until another time.

Bible study is very important for young people. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22: 6) Give a child the foundation of scripture at an early age so that they might develop into more godly adults.