LET THEM BE TRAINED!
TEXT: PROVERBS 22:1-15
🔑KEY VERSE: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (PROVERBS 22:6).
Dr. Benjamin Spock was an American paediatrician and political activist who was more noted for his book Baby and Child Care. The book significantly changed widely held attitudes toward the raising of infants and children, championing the cause for no cane or spanking of children even when they misbehave.
Several years after, his grandson Peter, committed suicide by jumping off the roof of the children museum in Boston where he was working. What a tragedy! God’s principles for raising children remains the best for all time and disproves all others.
Our text for today harps on the importance of child training in the family. The verses contain various moral and scriptural virtues which parents must imbibe in their children. It also identifies vices to shun. It begins with the importance of possessing a good name. This is a price far above riches, silver and gold. The virtues of prudency, foresight, humility and the fear of God must be instilled in our children to guarantee them riches, honour and good life.
Parents must inculcate in their children the act of generosity. They must be taught how to give for God’s work. Also, emphasis must be placed on the need for purity of heart as well as possessing gracious lips in order to be a friend of God. Children must be taught to shun vices such as borrowing, and they should learn to be content with what they have. They should be taught to avoid sin, anger and slothfulness as well as how not to fall into the trap of immoral people lurking for their souls.
The text concludes that foolishness naturally abounds in the heart of children but the rod of correction, applied with love, when and where necessary, will eject such foolishness and rebellion. Children must be trained and corrected to bring out the best in them.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Spare the rod, spoil the child.
THE BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 CHRONICLES 16-20
