Child’s training in Christian home

Text: Proverbs 22:6
This is one of the neglected messages in churches today. Churches do not consider it germane to devote time to teach and instruct children in the way of the Lord. Surprisingly, parents can afford to spend huge sums of money to send their children to schools and buy expensive clothes for them, while their spiritual lives and proper training are neglected. The aftermath effect of it, tells on the home, church and the society at large.

The subject of the discourse is focused on a child’s training in a Christian home. The reason for this choice is that parents who are not believers cannot bring up their children in the way of the Lord. Priscilla and Aquila are good examples of Christian parents who were commanded to train up their children in a godly way.

The Lord was confident of Abraham that he would bring up his children in the way of the Lord. Isaac was a by-product of the kind of a parent Abraham was.

Child’s training goes beyond providing for the child’s necessities. The Lord does not recognise any training that does not emphasise and instruct a child on the way of the Lord.

Christian parents must adhere to the principles and precepts of the scriptures to be able to train up their children. Parents must hear specific instructions from the Lord and pass same to their children. Parents should be able to instruct their children in the way of the Lord, justice and judgment.

A child must be taught the way of the Lord and shown the way of salvation. This is necessitated by the fact that children are estranged right from the womb. They were already contaminated by the Adamic nature. This nature must be stamped out by the teaching of the words of God and the rod of Iron. A father in the family is primarily saddled with the responsibility of training up a child. The instruction of training up a child was first given to Abraham by God. This is because mothers may not have the courage and fierceness that is required to discipline a child.

Parents have left their responsibility in the hands of maids at homes, while they engage in mad race for wealth. This invariably is a bad home structure that will impact negatively on a child in future. Work is good, but not to the detriment of the home. Parents should balance their daily schedules with their responsibilities at home. Children should not be left to themselves otherwise they will bring shame to the family. The voice of command must not be lacking at home. As a father, this voice must always come from him to checkmate children’s excesses.

Parents should train their children to do justice. Parents should live out a practical life before their children. Whatever life parents live to reflect in the life and conduct of their children. This is the reason parents should live by examples because children are watching closely. Parents should teach their children to respect others and to be at peace with all, irrespective of tribes. Parents should teach their children never to look down on anyone; teach them to respect constituted authority; teach them the dignity of labour; teach them to be neat. Mothers should teach their female children home management to help them in their future homes.

Parents should also teach their children judgment and to be responsible even in the secret. They should be able to take decisions all alone. Teach them the scriptures and to obey the Lord; teach them to
know about Joseph who stood out in a strange land.

When parents adhere to the above principle and precepts, our world will be a better place to live.

• For further reading: Romans 16:3; Gen.18:19; Prov. 22:6,15, Psalms 58:3; 51:1-5; Prov. 16:25; 29:15; 2 Sam. 15:11-16, 30; Romans 15:4; Prov. 22.6; Romans 13:1-6

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