“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old HE WILL NOT DEPART from it.” (Pro. 22:6)
This scripture has always been challenging for me. As a grown man when I finally gave my life to Jesus, then within a few years I became a pastor. I saw many Godly families, my own included, have children that didn’t make the Godliest of choices and some that walked away from their faith all together, at least for a little while. I’ve seen teens from the same families with great support turn out as a poster child for Christian teens and others also with great support end up with their mug shot in the paper. So it’s a verse I’ve struggled with. As a minister and parent, at first glance, it is comforting. But the problem IS IT ISN’T SO EASY as it may seem to be. The only way this will work is if our children SEE THE WORD OF GOD BELIEVED AND PRACTICED in our lives!
The phrase “train up” in the original Hebrew speaks of the actions of a midwife who would dip her finger into crushed dates and then put it in the mouth of a newborn child. The purpose of this was to stimulate the infant’s thirst for milk. So, drawing from this concept, we see that to “train up” a child means to CREATE A THIRST WITHIN THE CHILD… “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matt. 5:13)
Salt had two purposes in the Middle East of the first century. Because of the lack of refrigeration, salt was used to preserve food, especially meat which would quickly spoil in the desert environment. Believers in Christ are PRESERVATIVES TO THE WORLD, preserving our children from the evil characteristic in this world.
Second, salt was used then, as now, as a flavor enhancer. In the same way that salt enhances the flavor of the food it seasons, the followers of Christ stand out as those who “ENHANCE” THE FLAVOR OF LIFE IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD. Christians, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Christ, will inevitably influence the world for good, as salt has a positive influence on the flavor of the food it seasons, we need to have a positive influence on our children. “You are the light of the world…Let your light shine before [our children] in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14, 16)
The word “child” used in Proverbs 22:6 is used in diverse ways in various passages. In one passage, the word relates to an infant. In another, it speaks of a young boy. In another, it references Joseph at age 17. In another, it is associated with a young man ready for marriage.
So, this verse is really speaking of training children from their infant stages all the way into young adulthood. So, to put it all together, the verse is saying, “Create a thirst in and also give your child external boundaries from the beginning to the end, from INFANCY TO YOUNG ADULTHOOD.”