Train Your Child In The Way

September 2019 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Train Your Child

An insurance representative visited Grace & Truth recently. He is a Christian and a father who told me about his son. When the son was 14 years old, he was already making choices honoring the Lord’s desires. Many times his decisions caused him to miss out on pleasures and opportunities considered important by worldly standards. Over the years, the son has remained consistent in his priorities and faithfulness to the Lord. Certainly this has pleased Him. It is also a joy to his father.

Ordering one’s priorities in this manner does not come naturally. It is something that is taught through example and instruction. If you want your children – whether you have some yet or not – to arrange their lives in such a way that honoring God is the most important thing, you need to know and practice those things yourself. Moses told the people of Israel, “These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” (Dt. 6:6-7 NKJV).

Every moment we have, each and every day, is important in this process.

The apostle Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:2). Paul was an example, and he taught his spiritual son in the ways of the Lord, as likely did Timothy’s mother and grandmother (2 Tim. 1:5). Paul then wrote to him: “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).

As with the son of our insurance man, walking in the way which honors the Lord will involve suffering. Peter said, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Pet. 2:21). We will miss out on things in this world when our priorities are in their proper order before God, but the reward will be eternal.

Regardless of how you think your child, whether natural or spiritual, will turn out, the instruction is: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). Be encouraged in the Lord, while following His instruction and example.

By Paul Alberts