Word Study: Attentive

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For those of you not familiar with the term, “word study”:

The Word Study: Defining a Biblical Worldview – The word study involves more than going to a dictionary to define a word. It is the method of scholarship that puts the student on the pathway of developing the habits of reflective thinking and deductive reasoning from Scripture. The word study places the truths of God’s Word at the center of all learning, which illuminates the understanding and consecrates the mind.

Word Study:

Builds vocabulary

Increases reading comprehension and verbal scores

Establishes precise word usage in written and oral communication

Cultivates the habit of critical thinking

Produces deductive reasoning skills – cause (internal) to effect (external)

Sharpens discernment of truth from error

Inculcates lifetime habits of scholarship and aids in establishing a Biblical worldview

When doing a Word Study, there are 4 steps:

Research: The word is defined, using Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, key words are identified within the definition, and the key words are defined. Each word is then researched using a Bible concordance.
Reason: A definition of the word is written in your own words.
Relate: Application of the definition and the Biblical principles deduced are written, according to the intended purpose and your own life.
Record: The completed work is filed in your notebook (or in this case, here on the blog)

These 4 steps are commonly known as 4-R’ing in the world of the Principle Approach® and can and should be a tool used by both teacher and student. You don’t have to be a Principle Approach® homeschooler to do word studies. Obviously, it’s a great tool for everyone!

I enjoy doing word studies with Ben. My hope is that he will develop the skills needed to eventually do them on his own. I think he just needs more practice, which is the primary reason I have decided to use ABC Blogging to hone this skill. Like anything else, the more we do it, the better we’ll both become at doing word studies. It’s likely that over the next 26 weeks, we will take advantage of this opportunity to do some character training and study at the same time.

Today’s word for study is ATTENTIVE.

According to the Webster’s 1828:

Attentive: a. heedful; intent; observant; regarding with care.

Key Word Definitions:

heedful: watchful; cautious; circumspect; wary.

watchful: vigilant; observant

cautious: careful to avoid evils; attentive to examine probable effects and consequences of measures.

circumspect: cautious; prudent; watchful on all sides; examining carefully all the circumstances that may affect a determination.

wary: carefully watching and guarding against deception

intent: fixed closely; eager pursuit of an object; anxiously diligent

observant: taking notice; attentively viewing; obedient; adhering to in practice; submissive

regard: to guard, keep, defend; discern; respect, esteem, attention of the mind.

care: to be concerned about

Attentive Defined in My Own Words:

To be attentive is to take notice, being diligent and watchful, while having an awareness of the effects and consequences of any action so as to avoid evils and to guard against deception. And to eagerly pursue and adhere to a practice with attention and obedience.

Biblical References:

Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God. (Deut. 12:28)

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matt. 7:24, 26)

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. (Matt. 13:16)

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Prov. 2:1-5)

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. (Hebrews 2:1)

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:7)

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. (Proverbs 19:20)

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. (Isaiah 48:17-18)

My Thoughts:

Recently, Ben admonished me and my lack of attentiveness to his words. My face was buried in my laptop (as it too often is), not even looking up as he attempted to explain a problem he was having with his schoolwork.

“Mom! Look at me! You’re not hearing what I’m saying!”

That got my attention as he tossed words so often directed at him, back to me.

There’s little more important than training our children (and ourselves) in attentiveness. The Bible has much to say about the importance of paying attention to what is being said and then reacting (generally speaking, by obeying). It’s difficult to react to, much less obey, instruction if we are not paying attention to the instructor.

As parents, we teach our children to be attentive to us because ultimately they will use the experience to be attentive to others, and most importantly, to God. Being attentive to each other nurtures relationship, but being attentive to God gives us the tools we need for living a life pleasing to Him and ready for anything:

that it may go well with you and your children . . . forever

wisdom

understanding

insight

knowledge of God

power

love

self-control

profit

peace

righteousness

Not only should we be teaching our children to be attentive, we should be teaching them to pursue it eagerly for the purpose of guarding against evil and being deceived. While we are not paying attention, the enemy is seeking whom he can devour.

Oh, that we would all pay more attention to that which equips us to defeat the enemy.