Train Up A Child.

An infant's smallness and adorable innocence often draw the attention of nearby adults. They know that a newborn life is a gift of great value. But as the infant grows, the parents realize the great responsibility of rearing the child. They know that the child needs to be taught, not just cared for. A multitude of child rearing books on bookstore shelves attest to the fact that raising a child takes great wisdom.
  At the heart of every good parenting principle lie Solomon's words of Prov.22:6,"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." The verb for train means "to dedicate," and the word for way generally refers to living correctly in God's sight(see Prov.15:10). Solomon was advising parents to set their child aside for special use, to dedicate him or her to the Lord and His path. The verb train includes the idea of stimulating the child to do good- through words of guidance, discipline, and encouragement on the right path.This is a parent's main task, to receive as a charge from the Lord and then to dedicate the child to God's ways.
     Some have taken the line "when he is old he will not depart from it" as a promise. They believe it to be a guarantee that proper parenting will always result in a child's salvation. Proverbs, however, present general principles, not promises. This verse gives parents the assurance that the lessons learned in childhood will last a lifetime. Whether their child learns to follow the Lord will in part, depend on his or her own choices. But lessons driven home at the crucial stage of childhood will not go away. Hence the need for parental discipline and guidance.
  God promises to enable parents for their task, not to make decisions for the child. Each generation is responsible for its own relationship to God. But even without a promise, this proverb remains wise advice for every parent. Dedicating a child to God's ways is the best course to set.If we provide a positive environment for our children,they will have a better chance of being productive citizens in this world and the one to come.

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