Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it".
The issue of child training is a herculean one. The Almighty God, knew the importance of proper upbringing of children, hence He told us in Proverbs 22:6, to train up our children in the way they should go, so that when they grow up, they will not depart from it.
What does it mean to train up a child in the way he or she should go? It simply means to lay the right foundations for the child to follow. Inculcating in the child, the acceptable and right training and values, failure of which could make the child to go astray and out of the ways of the Lord.
The best way to lead, is by example, in other words, we who are teachers of our children must live the right kind of lives for them to emulate. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is our perfect example, we are to follow His footsteps in every spheres of our lives. Some areas we must train up our children in the way they should go includes, but not limited to:
- Teach them to love the Lord, and also to fear Him. Inculcating in them the fear of the Lord, will make them to flee from willful sinning against Him. The Bible says, the fear of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10).
- Teach them to delight in the study and meditation on the Word of God. (Joshua 1:8).
- Teach them to live a regular life of fasting and prayers. (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Luke 18:1).
- Teach them not to forsake the assembling of God's children whenever and wherever they find themselves. (Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 18:20).
- Train them up to be humble. Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was humble, even unto death on the Cross. Humility will catapult anyone to lofty and enviable heights in life. The Bible says, pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18).
- Teach them to respect others and constituted authorities. (Romans 13:1).
- Teach them the importance of hard work, so that they will not grow up to emulate the laziness of today's youths and young adults that makes them to go into all kinds of scams and fraudulent activities. Let them know that the Bible says the sleep of a laboring man is sweet. (Ecclesiastes 5:12).
- Teach them to be patient in life. Patience as often said is golden. Teach them not to be too much in a hurry, let the Lord lead them, and that they should do everything at their own pace and it shall be well with them. Diligence is the watchword. (Proverbs 22:29).
- Teach them to love others, just the same way they love themselves. (Matthew 22:36-40).
The above and many more we will need to train up our children with, so that when they grow up, they will not depart from them.
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