A Father Who Trains
Proverbs 22:1-6
Being a father can be thought of as an "investment opportunity." The spiritual leader of the home pours instruction and discipline into his children so that they mature into men and women after God's heart. At a father's knee, a child learns the importance of confessing failure, serving humbly, and living according to scriptural principles.
Teaching requires that we back up our instruction with sound reasoning. It is easy to say, "I'm your father; do as I tell you, "but don't be fooled into thinking that giving orders is the same as training. Children need to understand why they are expected to behave in a certain way. Taking extra time to explain the reason behind a request or a punishment builds authentic respect for authority and develops a child's recognition of wrong and right.
Children will test the boundaries we set for them, often deliberately misbehaving just to learn what our reaction will be. They will also act obediently and then look to us for support and praise. From the time they are very young, we should train them to expect rewards for obedience and disciplinary consequences for disobedience. This is easily done by discussing the choices made by men and women in Scripture stories or by making an example of a child's daily actions--"You cleaned your room as soon as I asked, so now we have time to play some basketball."
Training takes time and involves a commitment to godly principles. The reward is well worth the investment in consistent instruction: children who will not depart from the Lord's way.
On Life and Conduct
1. A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
Proverbs 22:1-6
Being a father can be thought of as an "investment opportunity." The spiritual leader of the home pours instruction and discipline into his children so that they mature into men and women after God's heart. At a father's knee, a child learns the importance of confessing failure, serving humbly, and living according to scriptural principles.
Teaching requires that we back up our instruction with sound reasoning. It is easy to say, "I'm your father; do as I tell you, "but don't be fooled into thinking that giving orders is the same as training. Children need to understand why they are expected to behave in a certain way. Taking extra time to explain the reason behind a request or a punishment builds authentic respect for authority and develops a child's recognition of wrong and right.
Children will test the boundaries we set for them, often deliberately misbehaving just to learn what our reaction will be. They will also act obediently and then look to us for support and praise. From the time they are very young, we should train them to expect rewards for obedience and disciplinary consequences for disobedience. This is easily done by discussing the choices made by men and women in Scripture stories or by making an example of a child's daily actions--"You cleaned your room as soon as I asked, so now we have time to play some basketball."
Training takes time and involves a commitment to godly principles. The reward is well worth the investment in consistent instruction: children who will not depart from the Lord's way.
On Life and Conduct
1. A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The LORD is the maker of them all.
3 The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.
4 The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life.
5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards himself will be far from them.
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Cross references:
Proverbs 22:1 : Prov 10:7; Eccl 7:1
Proverbs 22:2 : Job 31:15; Prov 14:31
Proverbs 22:3 : Prov 14:16; 27:12; Is 26:20
Proverbs 22:5 : Prov 15:19
Proverbs 22:6 : Eph 6:4
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