Thoughtful Thursdays: How History Teaches Life Lessons

I am privileged to teach twelve children ages 7 – 14 a combined history and Bible class this year.

I have been teaching them Mystery of History Ancient History this past year, and it has been so much fun. It definitely has been a highlight of my year. What I love about teaching history is all the life lessons that we are able to discuss at the same time.

I wish I had made a list of all the different topics we discussed throughout the year, but here a couple we talked about:

• We discussed the importance of who the kids will marry one day and how right now they need to choose godly friends.

That might seem weird to talk about marriage to young children, but I believe it is never too young to stress that children need to pray and choose a godly mate when they get older. We learned about Ahab and how Jezebel turned his heart away from God. We also learned about Solomon and how his wives also turned his heart from God. Even though this applied specifically to marriage, we talked about about how they need to choose friends that will encourage them to do right and how they need to be the right kind of friend. The wrong friends and eventually the wrong spouse will keep them from going the direction God would have them to go.

• We discussed how we can learn from the mistakes of those who go before us.

We have been learning about the Roman rulers. Julius Caesar became the king and disregarded the advice of the Senate, and the Senate eventually turned on him and killed him! Octavian (Augustus Caesar) was Julius Caesar’s grandnephew and heir. When Octavian became the emperor, he learned from Julius Caesar’s mistakes. He made friends with the senators and worked with them. In reality, he was still a dictator and had ultimate power. He was the sole ruler; but because he was wise and humble, he did not call himself king or dictator. The senators trusted him and willingly gave him the power that Julius Caesar took.

From this lesson, we discussed in length how we could learn from other’s bad mistakes so that we did not make the same mistakes. I shared how my older sister got in trouble quite a bit (although I had my share of needing discipline), but how I learned I did not want to get in trouble with my mom like my sister did.

From this history lesson, we learned that we could be humble and wise and learn from other people’s mistakes so that we don’t have to have the pain and difficulties they had.

• We also talked about how God can use us even when we do make mistakes.

Rahab, a harlot, was used by God to save the spies and she was included in the lineage of Jesus. David was used by God even though he committed adultery, murder and other sins. As long as we confess and turn to Him, He will forgive us.

• We learned about the sovereignty and control of God over the world by studying history.

As we studied Augustus Caesar and how he decreed that everyone should go pay taxes in their hometown, we discussed how Augustus Caesar had no idea that Jesus was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem. Yet God controlled the emperor in Rome to make a decree to fulfill His prophecy. And this happened over and over again by having Jesus go to Egypt as a baby, by having the Israelites taken into captivity, by having Nineveh destroyed by a flood, and the Phoenician civilization disappear. Prophecies were fulfilled by rulers who did not know God or His Word. God can be trusted to fulfill His Word!

• We observed how that only God can make a person truly happy.

So many of these rulers such as Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great had it all, yet they were not satisfied. They always wanted more. Yet many prophets who had little were happy and content as they had their God. God is all we need!

• We saw how no one is invincible and all must meet their Maker one day.

Many of these rulers thought they would live forever. Yet they all died. Their kingdoms died. The only thing we have left is a few artifacts and some historical documents that may have been preserved. Their wealth was taken away and given to others. All that really matters is whether or not they knew Christ or had faith in a future Savior. Did they believe the promise of a Messiah? We have nothing if we do not know Him. All our achievements, wealth, possessions, and prestige will be stripped from us when we die. The real question is where our soul will reside when our body perishes.

I have always loved history. I love it more now as I teach it and can use the history of the past to teach life lessons to the youth who will come along behind me and be our future!

Favorite posts linked up to last week’s party:

• {Guest Post} Teaching Kids About Food: Awesome Advice for Parents from Down Aspen Lane
• Why We Should Let Our Kids Fail from Confessions of  Parenting

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