My mother was moving from the house we had called home for 36 years, and we were cleaning out the treasures. As I rummaged through my stuff, I discovered something I felt would be instructive for Steve, my 10-year-old fifth-grader. It was my old fifth-grade spelling book. I thought I would show him how much tougher things were back in those days. But when Steve and I later compared his book with mine, we agreed that his words were harder!

As I considered this, I began to think about the culture in which our children are growing up. It is not just spelling that is harder. Life itself has added layers of toughness since my school days.

With so much overt sinfulness being pushed a child's way, it could be harder to resist temptation and to do what is right. New negative influences challenge a young person as he tries to make wise choices.

Yet the answer is the same as it has always been. "From childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures"--that was how Paul characterized Timothy's training (2 Tim. 3:15). This is still the way it should be for our children. No matter how tough the times, the solutions are always spelled out in God's Word. It's one book that never changes.  — Dave Branon