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.