Outwitting the Devil: Teaching Our Children Life’s True Lessons at Home
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
— Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
Mark Twain famously said, “Don’t let schooling interfere with your education,” and he wasn’t knocking school; he was reminding us that true education goes beyond textbooks, exams, and classrooms. Real education teaches values, wisdom, and life skills that stick with us long after we’ve left school. As parents, mentors, and leaders, we have a tremendous role in shaping the next generation — not just by encouraging their academic pursuits but by instilling core values that form the foundation of their lives. And while schools can offer knowledge, there are certain lessons that only life, guided by the steady encouragement of family, can fully teach. These lessons build character, faith, and resilience in ways that formal education cannot reach.
Education is a lifelong journey, and every child needs to learn more than facts and figures to make it through. They need to know how to navigate life’s challenges, make wise decisions, manage finances, and live out their faith confidently. Schools might touch on some of these areas, but as parents, our role is to take the wheel in guiding them through these essential parts of life. When we train up a child “in the way he should go,” we’re not just preparing them to pass exams; we’re preparing them for a future of integrity, strength, and purpose. Our homes become the most essential classrooms of wisdom, where we teach the true foundations — strong faith, good values, financial literacy, and resilience — the elements that will shape who they become.
Think about it: How many of life’s most critical skills aren’t even covered in school? Lessons like balancing a budget, distinguishing between right and wrong, making choices based on values rather than peer pressure, and holding firm to one’s beliefs in the face of challenges. This is where we come in as their primary educators. Just as Proverbs encourages us to train a child in the way they should go, we are called to lay a foundation that carries them through life’s challenges, decisions, and opportunities. We’re not just teaching them; we’re forming them into people who will lead, inspire, and make a difference in the world.
Napoleon Hill’s Outwitting the Devil explores how society sometimes discourages independent thinking and critical judgment, promoting conformity over conviction. By teaching our children to think for themselves and make choices rooted in their beliefs, we empower them to resist pressures that would lead them astray. When we encourage them to question, to seek understanding, and to make values-based decisions, we are arming them with the tools to “outwit the devil” — to choose a path of integrity and purpose over one of easy compromise. This foundation we’re building doesn’t just prepare them to handle life; it prepares them to live with intention and strength.
Encouragement in education means supporting our kids not just for academic success but for their growth as people. When we take an active role in educating them on life’s most essential topics — faith, finances, values, relationships, and resilience — we’re giving them a legacy that no textbook or standardized test can replace. We’re raising children who understand the importance of hard work, who know how to handle setbacks, and who are guided by a faith that lights their path and a value system that holds them steady.
It’s up to us to be intentional in building a culture of encouragement at home, where every lesson we teach goes beyond the classroom and reaches their heart. They need a safe place to explore their questions about life, to learn by making mistakes, and to develop a faith they can carry with them through any season. This kind of education builds not just knowledge but character, empowering our children to face the world with confidence, strength, and a real education that will carry them through a lifetime.
The calling to educate and encourage our children at home isn’t easy, but it’s the most rewarding investment we can make. In doing so, we’re not only raising successful students; we’re raising strong, capable, and faithful adults who will go out and make a difference. Let’s take back the role of primary educators in our children’s lives, guiding them in the ways of wisdom, faith, and integrity that will serve them far beyond any school or career. In doing so, we’re setting them up for success that no degree or diploma alone could ever bring.
Take Action
Set aside intentional time each week for real-life lessons at home. Talk with your kids about finances — show them how to budget, discuss the importance of saving, and even involve them in small money management decisions. Make conversations about faith and values a regular part of your family life. Discuss real-world situations they might face and how their values can guide their responses. Encourage questions and make room for meaningful conversations, knowing that each moment spent teaching them at home is an investment in their future.
Consider reading together, choosing books that instill wisdom and values. Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill is an excellent choice to discuss ideas of critical thinking and self-control. Engage them in conversations about these themes, helping them understand the importance of not letting the world shape their beliefs without question.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the incredible privilege of guiding and educating the children You’ve placed in our care. You’ve given us this calling to raise them not only in knowledge but in wisdom, integrity, and faith. We are grateful for Your Word that lights our path and shows us how to lead them in ways that will stand firm, even as the world changes. Help us to be faithful teachers, guiding them with love, patience, and strength, just as You have guided us.
Lord, remind us that education begins at home, that the lessons we share with our children are building blocks for their lives. Help us to teach them the essential truths that will stay with them, that will guide their decisions, shape their character, and strengthen their faith. May our homes be places of encouragement, where questions are welcomed, faith is nurtured, and values are firmly rooted. Let us teach them about integrity, about the importance of financial wisdom, and about the strength that comes from living according to Your will.
Father, we pray for wisdom as we navigate this role of educating our children. Fill us with discernment to know what lessons to prioritize, what truths to speak into their hearts, and when to lead by example. Give us patience in the moments of frustration and resilience in the moments of doubt. When the world around us encourages compromise, give us courage to stand firm in our values, modeling that strength for our children to see. May our words and actions be a testament to the faith and love we have in You.
Lord, we ask for Your protection over our children’s minds and hearts. Guard them from influences that would lead them away from the path of truth. Empower them with discernment and a heart for wisdom, so they may think critically, question with purpose, and make decisions that honor You. As we teach them to “outwit the devil” and resist pressures that would lead them astray, fill them with strength, courage, and a deep understanding of Your love.
Help us to be encouragers, Lord — not just in moments of success, but especially in times of struggle. Remind us to speak words of life over them, to build them up, and to let them know they are cherished, capable, and wonderfully made in Your image. May they carry these affirmations with them, growing in confidence and purpose. And as we encourage them, transform us as well, deepening our own faith and grounding us in the values we hope to instill.
Thank You, Father, for entrusting us with this role and for walking with us each step of the way. May our homes be filled with Your wisdom, love, and encouragement, and may our children grow to be people of strength, integrity, and unwavering faith.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
God bless, and let’s keep Him first in everything we do.
– Dan Greer
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Dan Greer