Write a Commentary for your Children
Helpful Thoughts
There are many great theologians who have set out to write faithful and comprehensive works about the Bible. John Calvin, John Wesley, John Gill, and Jonathan Edwards. And besides the John’s; Martin Luther, Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole and Charles Spurgeon all set the pen to commentary paper. And there are many contemporary commentators worth reading too; John MacArthur, D.A. Carson, and a special "shoutout" here for John Piper who has made goal of visually studying the Bible in his video series called “Look at the Book”.
All of these writers are brilliant scholars and proficient communicators. Their works have offered helpful thoughts to many lay Christians and called Pastors to help them rightly handle the words of God.
Here I am proposing that you and I add our names to this list of commentators. You and I should each write our commentary on the words of God!
But….I’m not a Theologian
I know what you are thinking. "I am not a theologian, I have not business writing a commentary." Here we disagree. If you are a Christian, then you are a theologian. If you read the Bible and think deeply on the love that God has for you, then you are a theologian. If you see the world and know that the only explanation for the suffering and injustice is found in the word of God; then you are a theologian.
None of us can truly match the scholarship of a D.A. Carson, or the beauty with words that Charles Spurgeon possessed, but that does not make our faith any less valuable or our thoughts about scripture any less needed. You may not be a professional theologian, but you are your children’s favorite one.
Write to Your Children
I want to be clear, I am not telling you that everyone of us should write our thoughts down to be submitted to a publisher and sold on Christian book store shelves. I am afraid that few of us would be published. I am merely stating that we should write/journal through our time in scripture so that our families have access to our thoughts about God's word.
Your children need to hear or read about the ways that you struggle through scripture. They need to know the reasons for your faith. They need to see the way that certain passages of scripture incite worship within your soul, or cause a hatred for your sin. They need to see that your faith is real and it's deeply rooted in who you are.
This is why I propose that you write a commentary.
Get Started
Start simple; Read the Bible. Once daily reading is a habit, then add a notepad to your routine, write down your thoughts.
After you have begun collecting your thoughts, have fun with it.
When you sit down to read the Bible as a family, read your notes that correspond to the passage you are reading.
Write little notes to your spouse or children with your notes in their Bibles.
Once you have notes for every book in the Bible, then compile them, organize them and make them into a book or several books to put on the shelf at home. Name the book, "Daddy's Thoughts on Scripture" or "Mommy's Musings on the Word of God"
Give a set to your children as a gift when they are married or move out on their own.
More than Worth the Challenge
It may be an intimidating challenge, and you might find it hard as you start but it will be more than worth it once your children have access to the depth of their your faith.
