August 18 - Home Training

Point your kids in the right direction—when they’re old they won’t be lost.  (Proverbs 22:6, The Message)

I thought about the Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it".  The phrase "Train up", according to translation, refers to manners and habits.  I believe that a lot of the issues children face in school and society stems from failure to follow this scripture.  Having the opportunity to work in the school system and encounter children and their parents, it's become evident that in many instances, home training has gone out the window.  If all a child hears at home is cussing, most likely he/she will cuss too.  If every time a child turns around someone is beating his/her mom OR beating him/her; most likely he/she will be abusive too.  When a child's home life is disorganized, has no structure and in disarray; chances are he/she will be distracted and dysfunctional as well. 

We can not discount the importance of teaching our children at home!  Not just reading with them and making sure they keep up the skills learned during the school year, but also we have to teach them the importance of respect, self-control, honor and integrity.  We may also have to reach out to children who are not in our household.  Think of it this way...even if they don't get the training in their own home doesn't mean they shouldn't get it!  If we take the time to reach and teach a child that may not otherwise receive it; that's one less child that may grow up and drop out of school or become a teen parent or criminal.  As the children prepare to return to school; we have to continue to cover them as well as their teachers. 

Lord, thank you for giving us the tools to train up our children.  Your word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  We pray that the hearts and minds of our children will be fertile ground for learning, wisdom, understanding, compassion, joy, peace, hope and love.  We declare that as we seek to point them in the right direction, when they're old they will not be lost.  In Jesus name, Amen!