Train Up A Child

The word parent is more than a noun, it needs to be a active verb that you do for your child(ren). Remember that God created each and every one of us, He then birthed them through a mother, but they come from Him.

Through several scriptures in the Bible it talks about not having sex, which is the sin of fornication, prior to marriage. Therefore, I will keep my focus on the role of parents as the married couple. However, this article is really for all parents whether they have children or have a close relationship with children. Just because you didn't give birth to them does not by any means that you can not parent.

Proverbs 22:6, " Train up a child in the way he should go. When he is old he will not depart from it." This means that you are to train your child to praise, worship, honor, and give God the glory. Joshua, put it very simple and eloquently, when he said in Joshua 24:13, "But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord." Do not make any exception on behalf of your children.

Make your children participate in church, daily prayers, home bible study, and self bible study. Let them know who they are according to God and not the world. Don't let them just wander in the wilderness. However, if they fall unless it will kill them or cause serious detriment, as hard as it is, you have to let them slip and fall. Then if you did the above, they will develop their own relationship with God. When they get back up they will give God the glory and learn from whatever caused them to fall.

This does not mean that you keep them out of the world. Show them the world, but let them understand they are not of the world. 1John2:15, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world."

When you come together as parents, it will bring you closer together as husband and wife. Understand your roles as father and mother. You must come together in the raising of the child. In the area of children, proactive communication is critical. When children do something you have to react immediately. The luxuary of waiting for a specific meeting or even a phone call to your spouse is often not permitted. Therefore you must have already come together to discuss what you will each do as a team. If you and your spouse disagree or react differently your children will put you two against each other and play the lessor of two evils against you.

Children learn by example not by what comes out of your mouth. If they see you two acting unGodly in your marriage, then they will do the same when they get married. They will learn what marriage is supposed to be according to what they see you do in your marriage. Therefore, it is absolutely critical that you show them a God-driven marriage.