Proverbs 22:6

October 31, 2023

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

This passage of Scripture out of the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament is one of the most important verses for parents to clearly understand. It has to do with a Christian parent training their children in the way of the Lord so that they can head down the right path in life. King Solomon wrote this proverb with the leading of the Holy Spirit because he understood how important it was to introduce the Lord to children in their early years of life.

The Word of God makes it extremely clear how significant His children are to Him. Psalm 127:3-5 reveals, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” The fact of the matter is that children are a complete blessing from the Lord and it is the parent’s responsibility to teach them the powerful truth found in God’s Word.

It’s not enough for Godly parents to tell their children how to live according to the instruction of the Lord but we have to be that Christ-like example. One of the greatest testimonies that we can give is showing our children that we are living our lives according to God’s Word whether we are in church or at home. What you can’t afford to be is hypocritical; make it a point to live a way of righteousness at all times.

Your child is life a sponge especially in their early ages of life all the way until the years that they become a young adult. They are watching how you conduct yourself especially if you claim to be their Godly example. No parent is going to be perfect but what we can be is good teachers when it comes to God’s laws and regulations found in the Holy Bible.

The Lord tells us what happens when we allow our children to learn from the world without intervening and showing them the right way to live. Proverbs 29:15 states, “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.” We have to make an effort to be there hands on with our little ones every year of their lives. They need to be exposed to the Lord at an early age.

Make no mistake about it; if you don’t take the time to saturate your child in the Word of God: teaching them, breaking it down with them, and explaining to them the importance of the Holy Scriptures; the enemy is more than happy to show them the wrong way to live. Young people have it so much harder today because of the increased demonic influence all around them. We as Godly parents are responsible for raising the next generation in the fear of the Lord. If you don’t have children, be the Godly example for the children around you.

Now let’s break down the primary passage of Scripture that I highlighting out of the Word of God. The words “train up” used is the Hebrew word “ḥānaḵ” which means: to train, dedicate, and inaugurate (invest). The words “the way he should go” is the Hebrew word “dereḵ” which means: of moral character.

So when we dissect this first part of the verse out of the book of Proverbs we can conclude that Solomon was telling parents the general principle that will lead a child in the right direction and that is investing in their moral character. How does one do that? The best way that you can teach each individual child how to establish moral character is by cleansing them in the Holy Scriptures.

You want to make sure that you break down the meaning of the words laid out for us by the Lord in His Word. They need to have a clear understanding of the importance of God’s wisdom. The number one way that they are going to take the Lord seriously is if they see you taking Him seriously. James 1:22 explains it perfectly when he states, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

The second part of Proverbs 22:6 states, “…and when he is old he will not depart from it.” The words “he will not depart” is the Hebrew word “sûr” which means: to turn aside and depart. So in other words if you are obedient to God’s Word which commands us to teach them how to live right before the eyes of the Lord, when they are in their old age they will not forget the wisdom of God.

The Holy Spirit will bring the Scriptures to their remembrance in times of trouble. This is especially important for a young man or a young woman that is at an age where they can make their own choices. Good parents truly want the best of their children and will do whatever it takes to make sure that they succeed in life. That includes living a righteous life being obedient to the Word God.

Another passage of Scripture that is significant is Exodus 34:7 when it dictates, “keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” We can plainly see that our actions have a direct impact on our children and their children up to the fourth generation.

That is why it is so important that we try to live our lives abiding by the principles laid out by our Heavenly Father. If you are the parents of young children you want to ensure that they understand the importance of having the Lord as the center of their lives. Make it a point to teach them the Word of God. The Lord is clear on the fact that people perish because of the lack of knowledge, Hosea 4:6.

The Holy Scriptures are literally the book of promises given to us by God. We can take His word at face value knowing that every word written is absolute guarantees. The Bible is also a book of law that gives us the provisions that the Lord requires us to live by to ensure a long life.

The best thing that we can do for our children is to saturate them in the Word of God while studying it and applying it to our daily lives. They need to understand the message that the Lord is trying to convey in every passage of Scripture. Children are a complete blessing given to us as a gift by God and it is our responsibility to train them up in His ways so that when they grow into adults they will take everything that they learned about God and apply it to their lives.

Also, don’t forget to check out my other blogs:

Who is the Prophet Isaiah

Breaking Spiritual Strongholds-Fight Back