TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY OF THE LORD (with Oluwayemisi Emeka)

TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY OF THE LORD

Proverb 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Note that the Lord doesn’t tell us to teach a child, but instead, we are to train a child. That means we are to mould and shape by discipline and practice. How do we do that?

LOVE CHILDREN

Some folks think you spell love M-O-N-E-Y. I think you spell it T-I-M-E and not only time, but also we show love when we tell children we love them. Over and over again, tell them that you love them. That may sound corny, but do it! Children also need your touch. When you walk past them, give them a pet or place your hand on their shoulder. There is a bumper sticker that says, “Kids need hugs not drugs.” That’s good! So many young people who are on drugs have never had somebody demonstrate love to them in that way.

LIFT CHILDREN

Children need encouragement (Colossian 3:21) says, “Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” Don’t put them down, life them up instead. Now, let me clarify an important distortion between praising and encouraging children. Praising a child tends to focus on performance. Encouragement instead focuses on worth. Encouragement tells a child that he or she is valuable in the sight of God.

LIMIT CHILDREN

Children will tell you that they don’t want limits. Don’t believe them. If you don’t set limits, a child unconsciously feels rejected. Even in the Garden of Eden, God set limits not dampen the spirits of Adam and Eve but to show His wise provision for all that they needed. And keep in mind that children will push against limits. If you give in, then the boundary collapses and security is lost. Giving children limits helps them learn that the world has consequences.

LEAD CHILDREN

I have heard parents tell their children, “Don’t do as I do; do as I say.” Well, I think that is double-talk to a child. We must imitate Christ when it comes to training our children. Jesus protected what He preached. He lived it. He taught it.

LAUGH WITH CHILDREN

Your home ought to be the happiest place on earth. It should be the place where all the other kids want to hang out. You might say, “Well, if all the kids hang out here, they’ll ruin my couch, they’ll get my couch dirty, they’ll eat everything in the refrigerator.” Wonderful! What’s worth more? Your rug, your couch, your groceries, or your children? When your home is the gathering place, you get to check out the guests! You can hear what they say, watch how they act, and see how they dress. You can see who is keeping company with your kids. Let your house ring with Laughter, for the Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a Medicine” (Proverb 17:22a). These simple things will go a long way in helping you learn how to raise some young champions for Jesus.