“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
Sometimes we find committed Christians whose children grow up as unbelievers. You might want to ask “Who is to blame?” Really, you can’t always blame such children because it’s the responsibility of parents to train up their kids in the way of the Lord, for that’s what the Word says. So when you see a child that’s not walking on the path of righteousness chances are that child hasn’t been trained to choose and walk in that path of life.
If you’re a parent, you ought to have a vision for your children, especially while they’re still young. Don’t wait till they’re grown-up before you teach them what to do and how to live. Train them to do what’s right from their formative years, and when they grow up they’ll continue in that path.
We talk a lot about Solomon and his wisdom. But it was his father (David) who trained him to follow the right path in life. David was wise to guide his son the way he did. When you study the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, you’ll discover that Solomon hearkened to his father’s counsel. When God appeared to Solomon and asked what he wanted, he knew exactly what to ask for since he had been trained aright. His father David taught him to choose wisdom and esteem it above riches (Proverbs 4:1-5).
There are parents who say, “I try not to impose anything on my children. I let them make their decisions by themselves.” That’s not what the Bible teaches; the role of parents transcends just feeding, clothing and sheltering their children. Parents are to shield their children and wards from the vices that pervade today’s world, and guide them along the path that’s just and right.
Don’t forget that our choices in life are influenced by the information we have. Therefore, when children are not exposed to Holy Spirit inspired information, they’ll pick up whatever information they find in the world and make choices based on them. Don’t allow your child grow up in foolishness; train him with the Word of God and as he grows up he’ll not depart from it.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that your Word will grow mightily and prevail in the life of every child born into the body of Christ, I ask that you grant the parents the wisdom they require to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, such that they’ll be influenced by your Word and established upon the truth of the gospel, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Hebrews 12:9
Proverbs 4:7
Proverbs 4:3-5
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
