Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Training Up a Child

The Bible says to train up a child in the way he should go. The problem with doing this is that no matter how parents train up a child, we never get it quite right.

I mean that even if parents were always in the Lord's will, obeying God's directives, praying constantly, teaching correctly, and nourishing each tiny child in the right way, the child at some point would question the parents' actions in raising them. I am not wanting to be critical of the child. I think every child has to come to his own conclusions about how he was raised: whether he was taught the truth, whether he was taught correctly and whether parents had the right motives and knowledge. The main truth of a parent's life is that it ain't easy raising children.

I wasn't even close to being a perfect parent. I didn't conscientiously or consistently work at teaching my kids God's Word. I did fairly consistently teach God's precepts. My husband and I had our children in Christian schools all their lives where they learned of God and His Word, and we had them in church two to three times a week where the Word of God was taught regularly. And we taught them at home.

I wasn't always a good example to my children. I should have read the Scripture and prayed more myself and with them. I wish I had taught them God's precepts line upon line more diligently. I wish my Christian walk and inner life had been more consistent.

I understand that grown children must make their own decisions concerning their beliefs, their understanding of God's Word, their understanding of God and willingness to obey Him, and their relationship with Christ and His church. I hope that for all of us, the truths of God's Word and the leading of His Spirit in our lives will be the guiding factors for all of our lives.

How we train our children when they are young, in every aspect of their lives, is a living testament to our love for them and for their future. Would I do many things different if I could? Definitely. Would I change everything? Not at all.

And, in spite of everything, may the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ truely be with us all.

p.s. I am not totally satisfied with this post. I didn't write it to be critical of any of my 10 or 15 children. These are just some of my thoughts.

7 comments:

Julie said...

I think, because we are just people, that there are things we all wish we would have done a little differen. And I thought you had just 4 kids? Hmmm.

Momstheword said...

four kids? Oh, yeah! Counting those locked in the cage in the basement, right? :) You are a great parent, don't put your self down. That's my job.

Kay Day said...

They're giving you grief, aren't they?
I knew they looked like trouble the first time I saw em.

Being on this side of things, I can get really scared of what choices my kids may make. I know so many wonderful, godly people who have kids that really go off on some wild tangents. If those people didn't "get it right", what kind of hope do I have??!
I just keep reminding myself that God deals with them as individuals, too. That He has a plan a purpose for them, too. That He loves them more than I do.
If they make some bad choices in the future, I think God is big enough to handle it.
Look at Franklin Graham...

Paula said...

Three things I want to say:

1. My kids take after their dad in looking like trouble.

2. All adults have to come to their own personal understanding of God's truths. For the most part, they can't just accept their parents' beliefs. They have to evaluate and analize the truth for themselves.

3. I always hope my children will come to believe as I do. I believe I have taught them truth "as much as in me is." I do believe they will have to serve and trust God as He leads them.

Jen said...

Love the new picture.

Why does this post automatically make people think we're black sheep. Ahem. Family. Ahem.

Is this because of the phone conversation?

And per your last comment, what do you mean "come to believe as I do"?

I'm assuming you mean the Bible. And in that case, I would say we do agree. But there are a lot of peripheral (sp?) things that we don't see eye to eye. By peripheral, I mean things that don't interfere with a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Okay, I've got to stop there because every paragraph that I've attempted has sounded rude and that would never be my intention.

Just erased another paragraph...

Paula said...

And that's what I was wanting to say. We do believe the same on EVERYTHING that is crucial to salvation and the truth of Scripture and many other things. On other kinds of things we may differ some. I did some erasing myself. You're my dot and I love you. You are a wonderful Christian woman who wants to follow God, and I admire you.

Paula said...

And that's what I was wanting to say. We do believe the same on EVERYTHING that is crucial to salvation and the truth of Scripture and many other things. On other kinds of things we may differ some. I did some erasing myself. You're my dot and I love you. You are a wonderful Christian woman who wants to follow God, and I admire you.