Train Up A Child

The bible tells us to, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6 (KJV).

Another translation explains it as to direct your child onto the right path, so that when they are older they will not leave it (NLT).

It is amazing how many people ignore this command, yet they and society reap the consequences of it time and time again (the lesson clearly not learnt). Training a child is the responsibility of the person or persons who has responsibility for the child and training very clearly involves discipline. It means to be actively involved and not passive as children cannot be left to their own devices – Proverbs 22:15.

Discipline involves both the instructing of a child and the discipline required to be consistent in it. This is the only way that we can set our children on a life long path to greatness.

Train Up A Child

This is probably why we have the popular saying that, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Which basically means a person set in their ways is impossible to train otherwise.

It is the responsibility of a parent to direct their child’s path by training (instructing and teaching) them from a young age when they are in their formative years. Also, it is important to know that the training is not about the parent and how they feel, but about the child and the ultimate benefit of setting them on the right path.

So, consider this, if you have young children and you are unwilling to train them  because you ‘love them to much!’ When they are old they will not depart from an undisciplined, selfish and disrespectful nature that you would have nurtured inadvertently, ofcourse.

How Do You Train Up A Child?

Well, train them up to have faith in God.

Related imageWhether or not a child has a father who is active and present is no excuse as 2 Timothy 1: 5 reveals. Timothy was raised under the influence of his mother and grandmother and it started when he was little, even before he was born.

We all know history repeats itself and historically rebels and the like are generally people who were not trained in the right way they should go. If you want to set your child up for life, wealth and riches is great, but what is even better is the training for life and this only comes completely through having ‘unfeigned faith’.

Unfeigned faith is described as: sincere, wholehearted, heartfelt, hearty, unfeigned means genuine in feeling.  Sincere stresses absence of hypocrisy, feigning, or any falsifying embellishment or exaggeration. A sincere apology wholehearted suggests sincerity and earnest devotion without reservation or misgiving (Merriam Webster).

This Sunday we celebrate Mothers all around the world who have dedicated their lives to raising godly children who are a testament to godly parenting and a source of pride to them and society as a whole.

While the act of training can be taxing, it is by no means something you are required to do on your own, hence the need to pray and ask God for help. When you pray to God, he answers, see Matthew 7: 7-11. It is at the time of your request you ask God to help teach your children, see Isaiah 54:13.

We know it works because there are countless testimonies of people who have been brought up this way and here is what a few people we asked had to say:-

“My mum has been praying for me for as long as I can remember, hearing her alarms go off in the morning and hearing her pray. Encouraging us to pray and read our Bible. Her lifestyle has shown me her faith isn’t fake” -Todd (25).

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“I grew up in a Christian home, with a mother who was a Sunday school teacher. I have grown to realise that this is grace from a sovereign God. I remember the first verse I learned was from Romans 3:23. I was raised to know that sin leads to death and the need to repent and trust in Jesus” – Chude (24).
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“I feel that my mum has influenced my christian walk through firstly my upbringing growing up in church and talking about Christ and faith in God etc..  from when I was young she definitely instilled an awareness of God’s existence from a young age. Another influence I would also say is that through every difficult situation that happens whether in her life or mine she influences me through how she carries herself. There’s never been a hard time where my mum hasn’t put her faith in God and that is very inspiring, it makes me aspire to reach to that level of faith in God . One final thing I would say is  she also sends me bible scriptures, music encouraging messages and constantly reassures me that I will get through every storm that occurs… plus I know that she’s always praying for me” – Eunice (21).
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“Reflecting on my Christian journey and salvation, I thank God for my mother and my grandmother. My admiration for these two powerful women who were born into Muslim families but chose to give their lives to Christ completely despite all odds, challenges and rejection from their families was such a motivation and inspiration. Their prayers, dedication and commitment to the things of God set the pace for who I am in Christ today and I thank God for inspirational women like my mum and my mama” – Rita (42).
 
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“Not only has my mum been someone I can always go to, to find answers or discuss things I am unsure about, but seeing how she has remained the same strong, kind woman despite all she has faced in life, is a testament to God’s love” – Zoe (23). 
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“The prayers and love of my mother help to draw me closer to God”- Fifi (22).
 
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“My mum’s faith in God has developed her into a strong woman. Watching her devotion to Christ and her family encourages me to never give up and increases my hunger to want to know God even more” – Victory (27).
 
Written by Eruvwu Obuaya

2 thoughts on “Train Up A Child”

  1. Thank you for a lovely piece sis.

    Just to add that as we often hear, prayer never rots and the prayers and training we give as parents will always yield good seeds despite the storm in Jesus name.
    Some children may still make choices to go off track despite the right training but we as parents must never give up until we see the full manifestation. Be encouraged.

    1. This is true and biblical as the scripture in Proverbs 22:6 can be interpreted to mean, the training will always be there underneath the surface. So, even though it looks like a child has departed from their original course, God’s word will stand – Romans 3:4 and Matthew 23:35.

      Thank you for your comment Rita.

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