«But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus» (2 Timothy 3:14, 15).
MY MOTHER, who is already resting in the Lord, was a godly woman. She left Italy at the age of fourteen to escape the war. She did not have the opportunity to attend school, but she learned about Jesus; she and my father were baptized when I was two years old. She was tireless. She always offered help to others, especially family. Her support and influence were fundamental to the development of my faith and my Christian walk
When I was about twelve, my parents separated. Then, Sister Pilar, director of the Earliteens at my church, connected me with Jesus and His teachings, motivation, and love. In my life, as in so many others, the role of my mother, a teacher at church, and teachers at school, were fundamental in showing me the path to wisdom and salvation in my early years.
Hannah understood that children are an inheritance from the Lord and are not ours. They are a gift from God, andwe must take care of them, for they belong to the Lord. The God who hears us when we ask for a child is with us in the process of leading that child in the path to eternal life.
The educational process of children should be conducted correctly. Paul advised that children should be raised «in the training and admonition of the Lord» (Eph. 6:4). Family life is not a circus, a picnic, or a summer camp.
A family after God’s own heart should be an environment ofacceptance, appreciation, affection, proper guidance, and correct discipline. It is a mixture of care and protection, along with discipline and warning. If these components are missing, the results will be dire and jeopardize the eternity of every member of the home.
Parents have the responsibility of educating their children conscientiously and in the right way. This is not easy, but by the grace of God, we can find guidance in His Word and help in His promises.
It was because of all this that Paul told Timothy to persist in what he had learned from his childhood, from his mother and grandmother,because persisting in that teaching would make him be wise and bring salvation.