Verse of the Day 3/7

Verse of the Day 3/7

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go,

And when he is old he will not depart from it.    New King James Version (NKJV)

Today's verse is one that most of us are probably familiar with and have heard and read often since we were children.  Reading it today, something struck me.  Some of the more modern translations use children and the words "they" or "them" in this verse.  I'm not saying that it is wrong, but the use of the singular "he" in this instance is significant.

I have one sister and we were brought up in the same Christian household but we are very different.  We have three children that were raised in the same home but they grew up vastly different and the same is continuing on with our grandchildren.  There is no "cookie cutter" method for raising children.  We raise each child based upon their individual needs as well as their strengths and their weaknesses and encourage them to live their lives accordingly while all along the way, hopefully; being an example to them of what it looks like to live lives that follow and honor God.

This concept is nothing new.  Look at Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, David and his brothers and on and on.  They were all raised in the same families but all very different.

Our children remain our children as long as we are alive and as long as they are alive there will be teaching.  Even now as many of us reading this no longer have children in the household, we can still live as examples of how to handle aging, illness and loss.  The training doesn't end.  Some of us have suffered broken relationships with our children.  We still can pray for them and hope for their return like the prodigal son in Luke 15.  Perhaps for some it is the "prodigal parent".

Our duty day in and day out is continue to live as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16)  to our world and in our families, hoping and praying that we are doing and have done our best to train up "each child" in the way that each of them should go.  What training are you participating in today?

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Proverbs 22:5-7 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked;
    whoever guards his soul will keep 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.
⁷ The rich rules over the poor,
    and the borrower is the slave of the lender.