Saturday, April 5, 2014

Memorizing Bible Verses

This is adapted, and very much expanded, from a post in one of my old blogs.


I loved the tv show "The Waltons", but I didn't agree, and still don't agree, with the way Olivia sometimes punished her children by making them memorize Bible verses. IMO, the Bible should NOT be used for punishment.

As for having children memorize Bible verses, that, in itself, is a good practice, especially if the parents also learn new verses.  For example,there is the following sentence in "The Long Winter," by Laura Ingalls Wilder:
First Grace, then Carrie, then Laura and Mary, and Ma repeated their verses.

When should children begin memorizing Bible verses?  Please keep in mind that I'm no expert, but I believe that they can start learning them at a very early age, before they are aware that they are learning Bible verses.
Simply repeat several "child friendly" verses as a matter of course, just as you would repeat, let us say, "Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?"
By the time the child is old enough to understand the words, those Bible verses will have become loved and familiar, in good part because your child will associate them with a voice that is loved and familiar... your voice.


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