Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
Training up a child is more than discipline, is modeling the character of Christ!
The phrase «train up» implies a deliberate and intentional process of teaching and guiding. As parents we are responsible for our children, for shaping and molding their character. It emphasizes the importance of early biblical instruction and moral guidance, setting a firm foundation for a child’s future choices and behavior.
As Parents we play a very important role in our children’s life, before our children learn to trust and have their own personal relationship with God. They learn to trust our words and have a relationship with us as their parents.
I know right!! This is a big responsibility!!
How do we do that? By keeping our word. For example, when we tell our children we are going to do something fun if we see that they behave at a family friend’s house or make them promises for having good grades at school. Just because our children are small it doesn’t mean they will forget what we promise them. Please make sure you don’t forget to keep your promises to your child, place sticky notes on your agenda or make yourself a reminder on your phone if necessary. This could have a big impact on their lives, bringing later on trust issues when it comes to their relations with others.
Remember we are representing Jesus in our homes, and He always keeps His promises to us (John 14:15-31). Let’s represent Him good, by modeling behaviors that we want our children to have, we want our children to have healthy spiritual habits that later can form into lifestyle that shows their love and relationship with Jesus.
As parents we are acting in a capacity like what Jesus did with mentoring his disciples. In other words, we have little disciples in our homes always looking up to us. Yes, it can be a little overwhelming at times but just remember you are not alone, you have the best Heavenly Father just a prayer away. If you call upon Him and ask for help, He will answer you (Jeremiah 33:3).