Train Up a Child in the Way They Should Go

“Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6

As parents, this scripture is not only about bringing our children to church, but about shaping their entire foundation for life. It is about teaching them to love God, but also to love people. To be kind, respectful, honest, responsible, and compassionate in every area of their lives.

Training a child includes guiding them to become good citizens-those who care for others, who serve, who lead with integrity, and who choose what is right even when it is not easy. These lessons are not just spoken, they are lived out daily in our homes through example.

As a parent of five now-grown children, I have seen the importance of planting those seeds early-spiritual values alongside life values. There were moments when it seemed like what was taught was not fully embraced, but God’s Word reminds us that what is planted does not disappear.

Even when children grow and make their own choices, the foundation remains. The truth we instill in them has a way of calling them back.

So keep planting. Keep loving. Keep training. God honors the seeds sown in faith.

And to every parent who feels weary or unsure-don’t give up in the process. What you are pouring into your children today is not wasted, and it is not forgotten. Even when you don’t see immediate results, God is still at work beneath the surface, shaping hearts and guiding their steps.

Stand firm, keep speaking truth, keep living by example, and keep covering your children in prayer. The seeds you plant in love, discipline, and faith will grow in their appointed time. And when life pulls them in different directions, the foundation you laid will call them back to what is right.

Be encouraged-your labor in the Lord is not in vain.