Shimjeong education

The education of shimjong aims to educate for the perfection of the personality. That is, raising children to become individuals who love all humanity and all creation, just as the Heavenly Parent loves all people and creation. For children to become such people, they must be led to the knowledge of God’s Shimjeong.

Parents must pass on heartfelt sensitivity to their children and their descendants. Parents are role models, but this involves more than just teaching by personal example. Through their love, parents lay the emotional foundation for their children to live for their family, their community, and their country.

It is important to educate children not only through words, but to directly manifest shimjeong through the practice of love. To accomplish this, parents must first love their children in the family. When parents raise their children by feeding them, clothing them, teaching them norms, etc., it is significant that parents always love their children with a warm and sincere heart. This is the true love parents have for their children. If parents give such love to their children over a long period of time, children will naturally respect them and show their filial piety. Moreover, children will realize on their own that it is necessary to love each other. This is because the Shimjeong of the Heavenly Parent is transmitted through the practice of true parental love for children.

The same is true of school education. Teachers must express love through words and actions. Not to mention competently and sincerely teaching each subject to their students. And since schooling is simply extended family education, teachers must love children with a parent’s heart, treating them as parents.

Every word and deed of the teacher, whether private or public, becomes material for the education as well as for the character formation of the students. When students receive such a love-filled school education, it touches their hearts, and they will naturally respect and obey their teachers. Moreover, they will want to practice love in the same way that teachers do. This is the education of shimjeong through practical actions in family and school.