Tues.'s Devo - Training Up a Child

Tues.'s Devo - Training Up a Child Pt. 1
Read Pr. 22:6
Training up a child is more than taking him to Sunday School. The word "train" in the Hebrew means to "narrow; dedicate; discipline". The road to salvation is narrow and so it the way to discipline a child. I have heard this scripture quoted so many times and I wonder if we really understand what train up means. It doesn't mean that if we are Christians, our children will automatically be. Adam's second son, Cain was a murderer. I don't think we will meet Cain in heaven. It does mean that if we model a godly life and teach him the way of the Bible that he will not be able to escape the salvation God has for him. You can't make your children choose Jesus but you can sure push them away trying. The best way to assure the salvation of your child is to dedicate them to God then live it in front of them, training them in how to pray and trust in God. Then you have to give them room to realize it for themselves. Some children take a long time deciding that is what they want for themselves and sometimes they have to visit the pit first. As wise parents we need to give them the space to do that. If we don't they will rebel when they leave and we will not be there to help them. That is when we pray and believe this scripture and leave it to God to bring them back. He is faithful.
Lord, help us to train our children in the way they should go and trust you to bring them to your salvation.