Quick Obedience
October 17, 2025 by Bradford Intern
Thoughts on obedience and parental responsibility from our Headmaster, Jeff Johnston, written in 2010:
Our students regularly enjoy exciting activities in P.E., activities calculated to develop several essential skills. While the students think they were just having fun, we are strengthening their listening skills, teamwork, and ability to follow instructions. The result is a lot of laughter and good times!
These kinds of activities help develop the essential skills necessary for being a productive adult and a responsible citizen. We are training the next generation how to listen well and accomplish desired objectives. These skills, along with a healthy and Biblical respect for authority, lead to successful teamwork and prospering communities. If we neglect this kind of instruction, our children will fall short of their personal potential and our teams and communities will be miserable. If we fail in our duty to ensure that our children understand the importance of simple and quick obedience, we jeopardize their future. While listening and following instructions is important while playing games, it is a virtue that has more profound spiritual significance.
Before starting Bradford Academy I worked at a public charter school and many of those years as a middle school teacher. Sadly, I met many parents who excused or permitted disobedience (and slow or delayed obedience) in their young children because it was “cute” or they thought the child would grow out of it. Unfortunately, what is “cute” at six is not so cute at twelve. The middle school teachers were very familiar with the concept of “the chickens come home to roost.” It’s only “a phase” if you put an end to the behavior. If you don’t, it becomes a habit. When I was a young dad, an older gentleman mentioned to me that the child will only “grow out” of bad behavior if he is intentionally trained and corrected (See Prov. 22:15, Prov.13:24, Eph. 6:4, Heb. 12:11 & Col. 3:20-21).
Colossians 3:20 contains the apostolic instruction, “Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians expands on this thought: “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ’Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with a promise: ’that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” We want things to go well for our kids, so we need to teach them to honor and obey their parents and those in positions of authority. It is not a small thing. It needs to be a priority.
We have often said to the students that they need to “Obey right away, all the way, and with a happy heart every day.” It is hard for children. It is hard even more so if we are not vigilant in our expectations and instruction on it. Although it may sound overly authoritarian to our postmodern culture, it is, in fact, the way to peace and well-being. We are fighting against a permissive culture, we are fighting our own weakness and desire for ease, and we are fighting the nature of sin in our child’s heart.
While we must be vigilant, let us remember that we cannot do it alone. Our strength is not sufficient. Christ says, “My grace is sufficient…” 2 Cor. 12:9.