Prov. 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
How I have clung to this promise time and time again – and I still do! There is nothing in life that has a life-time guarantee! However, the Lord has shown me that this verse does have a guarantee if my husband and I do our job first. This guarantee is conditional. The promise of them not departing when they are old will only happen if we, as parents, train our children in the way they should go. No training, no promise.
Training comes in many forms: salvation/Bible, manners, chores, etc. However, all forms have one thing in common and that is the trainer must have that experience in order to do the training. How can you train your child in the Bible if you are not in your Bible? How can you teach manners if you have no manners yourself? How can you teach chores if you’re lazy? I think you get my point.
God’s Word teaches how we can become good and effective trainers to our children in Deut. 6:6-9, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (6) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (7) And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. (8) And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (9) Here we have a clear, concise training manual to follow. How many times have I heard parents say that babies do not come with a training manual! Oh, but we do have a training manual in our very own Bibles.
Our training manual tells us in Deuteronomy to do the following:
- Words shall be in my own heart – I should memorize it and apply it
- I should teach my children diligently not just when it suits me
- I should teach my children throughout the day using every opportunity
- I should have the Word so entrenched in my heart and life that they are ever present before me and guide me
- My eyes should continuously/daily be focused on the Word
- The Word should be everywhere in my home and I should be a living example of the Word in action
When a trainer lives by this training manual, how can his child go wrong? The trainer is then assured that his child won’t depart from this teaching when he is old. This is when the guarantee kicks in, dear Christian. If you leave your child to his Sunday School teacher, you cannot claim this promise. You, personally, have to be the one to take charge in this training.
Dear God…
Guide me as I train your child
Not just in word but in all I do
Using every chance I get
Lovingly leading him to You
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I’m trusting God’s promise for my children. I do however realize that we can do all we know to do according to the Word of God to train up our children and there is still no guarantee that they will go on for God once they leave our home. That is because they have their own will and ability to make their own choices. I just know that all my husband and I can do is show them according to the Word of God how they are to live their lives and pray that they will adhere to those truths once they are out of our home. But the ultimate choice is up to them!!
A very good exposition on God’s Word. I enjoyed reading this and agree that it is so important that we live what we teach. I know my children have been God’s polishing stones in my own life. They cause me to see myself quite differently and when something unpleasant arises I *gulp* have to search my heart first. I’ll be back to visit again. :0)