Which Direction is Your Child Bent?

O. T. #1483  "Which Direction is Your Child Bent?"
July 16, 2019
Proverbs 22-Part 2
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

LET IT GLOW

In our yard is an old pine tree. I say old, because mom must have planted it before I was born, for as long as I can remember, that tree has been there. It has always leaned a little to the north, though. I don't know what caused it to do so, but it does. Perhaps she planted it that way, or the wind caused it to bend that direction, or whatever. Who knows? This pine tree has survived all these years, leaning a little. Its trunk has grown in that direction, not straight up. So the tree grew and followed the direction it was bent. And survive it has, producing shade and pinecones in the summer, along with greenery in the winter. It has served its purposes quite well.

Aren't we familiar with today's key verse? How are we to train a child? We are to train them concerning the way they should go, not would go. If we love them, we want them to go the right way, God's way. It is our duty as parents.

Train means to initiate or discipline; dedicate; child is a boy or girl from age of infancy to adolescence.

Parents are meant to be a child's first and most important instructor, trainer, disciplinarian.

This training is designed to open before the child the manner of life for which he is intended. To commence the child's education in this way is of great importance, for the tree follows the bent of its early years. (Falwell)

We help the child choose the right paths and discerning which ones are right. We discipline them whenever it is needed, showing them what is wrong and right, then how to correct their mistake, sin. We sure don't want them to repeat it again.

Are we disciplining children or leaving them to their own demise?


LET IT GROW

Don't we wish there was a guarantee that every one of our children will walk the straight and narrow way! Unfortunately, there is not such thing. We can do our best, instill the Word of God in them early, and even direct and discipline them along the way. Unfortunately, not all child will follow The Way, which is Jesus. (John 14:6)

Hang in there. We do have God's promise that such a child, when he or she is old, will not depart from their training.

Depart means to turn off; put away or down; be sour; take away or off; turn aside; withdraw.

A wayward child will return to Jesus when they are old, if they were trained to bend in that direction.
Are we bending them toward Jesus?

LET IT GO

Be faithful in teaching children in the right direction, following Jesus.
Help them find the way He has them bent for kingdom work.