"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." ~ Proverbs 22:6
We often quote the scripture "train up a child in the way he should go" as a positive affirmation or piece of advice. We use it as a standard by which we ought to parent. True indeed. Proverbs 22:6 can certainly be a standard or command that ought to govern our life.
But Proverbs 22:6 is so much more than just a standard. At its essence, Proverbs 22:6 is a principle. In other words, it's an axiom that holds true regardless of the circumstance. It's a fundamental truth.
As parents, we are supposed to intentionally train our children. That is, we are supposed to teach them skills and types of behavior through practice and instruction over the course of their lives.
But the fact is that even if we aren't intentional about training our kids, we still do it.
No matter what, you are training your child to do something. If you're an active parent and positive role model, you are training your kids to grow up to follow in your footsteps. But be clear, if you're a terrible parent, you are still training your kids. If you respond to situations with pettiness or bitterness, they are learning how to behave. If you are jealous or selfish, you are training your child to respond to life in the same way.
All of us are training our kids in something. The question is, what's the substance of that training?
We can train our kids to be emotionally, spiritually, and physically healthy and productive members of our society. Or we can train them to have the same issues we have. At the end of the day, Proverbs 22:6 holds true. Whatever you teach your children, they won't depart from it when they are older.
What are you training your kids to be today?
God bless,
J.W.
