Learning by Example

January 11, 2015

"Train up a child in the way (s)he should go, and when (s)he is old, (s)he will not depart from it."  So says Proverbs 22:6. Some scholars tell us that this promise made thousands of year ago, doesn't mean what it appears to mean, but a review of various translations available yield similar results, all supporting the plain meaning of the verse. When I was young, I heard this quoted by my pastor, and knew many a teenager's parents who were clinging to its promise with ferocious and desperate tenacity. There are always the exceptions that prove the rule, and this verse is no exception. Children brought up in what appear to be stellar homes are not exempt from the temptations that lure people to destruction, and there are those who inevitably succumb.

And yet, the promise is there, and when parents take their faith and their parental responsibilities seriously, their children will generally follow that which is lived out before them. There are many things I hope I would do differently were I given the opportunity to backtrack in my own childraising experiences. I've watched my children take a much more disciplined and intentional approach in raising their children, especially in matters of their faith. I am very grateful that all three of our children are committed followers of Christ, as are their spouses. I am even more grateful as I see their children following in their footsteps. As they grow, their childish faith will necessarily be tested, and hopefully will grow into the mature fullness of adulthood. In the meantime, I am grateful that they are watching, and learning well. On my Facebook page, two photos accompany this text; the first is from last fall, when on their own initiative, grandsons Nathan and Ian brought their friend Cameron for prayer on the Sunday before his family moved to Texas. The second is of little Gemma this morning, raising her hands in praise she doesn't yet fully understand, but is learning as she watches her Meema. Of course, there is also her older brother, photobombing the moment.