A FEW THOUGHTS ON TEACHING CHILDREN
By C. H. Spurgeon
Our Lord Jesus Christ evidently felt deep sympathy with children, and he is but little like Christ who looks upon them as a trouble in the world, and treats them as if they must needs be either little deceivers or foolish simpletons. To you who teach in our schools is given this joyous privilege of finding out where these young disciples who are truly the lambs of Christ's flock, and to you He saith, "Feed my lambs"; that is, instruct such as are truly gracious, but young in years.
Children mainly need to be taught the doctrine, precept, and life of the gospel: they require to have Divine truth put before them clearly and forcibly. It is Christian ours to make doctrine simple; this is to be a main part of our work. Teach the little ones the whole truth and nothing but the truth; for instruction is the great want of the child's nature.
The only way to keep chaff out of the child's little measure is to fill it brimful with good wheat.
Train up a child, and he may have fifty years of holy service before him. We are glad to welcome those who come into the vineyard at the eleventh hour, but they have hardly taken their pruning-hook and their spade before the sun goes down, and their short day's work is ended. O dear teachers -- and I speak here to myself also -- let our teaching be more and more Scriptural! Fret not if our classes forget what we say, but pray them to remember what the Lord says. Be sure, whatever you leave out, that you teach the children the three R's - Ruin , Redemption and Regeneration. Tell the children they are ruined by the Fall, and that there is salvation for them only by being redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
God forgive those who despise the little ones! Will you be very angry if I say that a boy is more worth saving than a man? It is infinite mercy on God's part to save those who are seventy; for what good can they now do with the end of their lives? When we get to be fifty or sixty, we are almost worn out; and if we have spent all our early days with the devil, what remains for God? But these dear boys and girls - there is something to be made out of them. They are the world's future. The past has been and we cannot alter it; even the present is gone while we gaze on it; but our hope lies in the future: therefore, leave room for the children, room for the boys and girls!
When the Lord calls a man to work, He gives him the preparation necessary for it. Get near to Jesus. An hour's communion with Jesus is the best preparation for teaching either the young or the old. So in the case of many a faithful teacher of young children; you hear but little about him, yet he is doing grand work for which future ages will call him blessed. His Master knows all about him, and we shall hear of him in that day; perhaps not till then. Good teachers of the young look after them all the days of the week as they have opportunity, and they are careful about their souls with prayer and holy example when they are not teaching them by word of mouth. The shepherdry of lambs is daily, hourly work. Go and catch the children. There is no law against it; all is fair in war against the devil. So my first instruction is, get the children, and get them any how that you can.
He who teaches a class in a Sabbath-school has earned a good degree. I had rather receive the title of S.S.T. than M.A., B.A., or any other honour that ever was conferred by men. Let me beg you, then, to take heart, because your duties are so honourable . Let the royal example of David, let the Godlike example of Jesus Christ inspire you with fresh diligence and increasing ardour, with confident and enduring perseverance, still to go on in your blessed work, saying as David did, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord."