The Formation of Child-Character
By A. Delos Westcott
“FEED My lambs,” is the injunction of the Chief Shepherd to those who have the care of the younger members of His flock. The health and prosperity of any animal depends largely upon the character of its food. This is especially true of young animals. Their delicate organisms are easily injured by substances which would be comparatively harmless to the older members of their species. Moreover, the young can not care for themselves, but must depend upon others for their nourishment. Hence their development depends almost entirely upon the purity and vigor of those that give them sustenance. As in the physical world, so in the spiritual, the young must receive their impressions of God and salvation through the minds of others. How disastrous the result when the plastic minds of our children are brought in intimate contact with persons who have little reverence for their Creator and whose thoughts are vile and blasphemous! A child's mind may be likened to a sensitive plate in a photographer's camera. Every moment, during his waking hours, picture after picture is being formed upon the delicate brain. Parents and teachers, what kind of pictures are forming in the minds of your children? If none but beautiful objects are brought before them, only beautiful pictures will be formed. This is why we are warned by the wise man: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Prov. 4:14, 15. “By beholding we become changed.” “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Phil. 4:8. “For, as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” The first thing mentioned for us to think about is truth. Many people suppose that “truth” and “fact” are one and the same, but that is a mistake. Righteousness and truth are the same thing. “Thy law is the truth,” says the psalmist. Ps. 119:142. The truth as it is in Jesus is the food to be given to the lambs of Christ's flock. That is, the law of God as it was shown forth in the life of Jesus. How can we as parents and teachers give this to the children? There is only one way: We must have the truth in us as it was in Jesus. Little children may not be able to read; they may not be able to understand all that is said to them; but they can understand our actions; they may know at least that their teacher loves them. And God's Spirit, working through the sanctified teacher, will impress their hearts. It has been said that it is not what we read or hear, but what we remember, that benefits us. Of course we are benefited most by what we remember, but the things we forget are by no means an entire loss. A boy was told to carry water in a basket. Of course most of the water leaked out, but the basket was thoroly cleansed. Keep a constant stream of whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report running through the minds of your children and they will be clean, altho they may not be able to remember all. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant when He said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3. We must also be on our guard against the sources of defilement, not forgetting that “evil companionships corrupt good morals.” 1 Cor. 15:33. Memorizing verses of Scripture is one way of keeping our mental basket clean. Children are great imitators. Whatever you permit them to see or hear, they will usually try to imitate. How important, then, that they hear and see only the things which are pure and of good report. Children should be early taught to choose the good and to reject and avoid the evil. Then our duty is but half done. The most important thing is to see that the child actually does the thing required of him. Training a child is getting him to do what he ought to do at the time and in the manner it ought to be done. An act frequently repeated finally becomes a habit, and character is the sum of all our habits. How important that the children should receive correct training, that right habits may be formed from the very start. Bad habits are hard to change. So also are good ones. Requesting or commanding a child to do a thing without training him to do it, is like faith without works; but “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov. 22:6.