Train Up A Child

During this time of year, with honors being doled out at various assemblies and banquets, it's hard to not get caught up in the "moments" of it all.  Of course students are thrilled to receive the awards and parents (me included!) and grandparents are thrilled to see their loved ones receive the honors, but it's really, really important to keep these worldly honors in perspective - in the proper perspective.

Worldly honors will fade away.  Glory in this life may bring fame and fortune, but they will never mean anything in eternity.  Every award my child/children receive may be very well earned and deserved, but their heavenly and eternal reward and stars in their heavenly crown should be what matters to me....not some plaque that hangs on the wall or a trophy that sits on a shelf - or even money that helps them further their education (which is a blessing, for sure!)

Yesterday, when I received a bulletin from a neighboring town congregation, our preacher-friend, Tom Bailey, had written a timely post - directed at exactly where my mind had been the past few weeks - on training up a child and teaching them about what is really important.  So, I borrowed his post to share with you today! Here it is:

Children are our greatest assets. From the time God placed them within our care, parents have been concerned about their growth and development. We want them to have the best of everything.

The schooling of our children becomes paramount. We start them in pre-school so they can get ahead. We ask for the best teachers. We make plans for the best universities. Before they go into the world, we want them trained in the best possible way.

Are we concerned with their spiritual training? Does Bible Class carry the same weight as math class? Which has the greatest priority, Bible bowl or bowling at the local bowling alley? Church camp or basketball camp? Do our children know more about their ABC’s than they know about “A”dam, “B”ethlehem, and the “C”ross?

If we send children into the world unprepared they will struggle and fail, not only physically but also spiritually. If you are concerned about the spiritual success of your child, then you will see that he is trained in the precepts of God. Bible Class will become more important than any school class, Bible bowl becomes more important than any spelling bee, church camp will take priority during the summer. When we again prepare the souls of our children to face the world we will cease loosing so many of them to the world. “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov. 22:6 --Tom

Thank you, Tom!