Jump Start # 3629
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Our verse today is a truism and not an absolute. Exceptions can be given. More so, the passage seems to indicate a natural bent. Each person seems to have that. Some are musical, others not. Some have an eye for art, others can’t draw a straight line. Some like to work with their hands. Some are problem solvers. Some like Andrew are good at bringing people to Jesus. Some have a gift with words. Some just know how to write just the right things on a piece of paper. Some gravitate towards sports. Others, theatre. Children raised in the same home with the same environment will have different natural leanings. We are gifted by God in different ways. The key is to find your talent and to use it for the glory of the Lord.
Knowing what you are good at is valuable. We cannot, nor should we all do the same things. Find what you are good at, what you are passionate about then excel in that area. Learn more about that. Talk to others who do that. Get good at what you are good at. Focus upon your strengths.
Mistakes can be made when we try to force someone into what they are not good at and what their heart is not passionate about. I see that among my grandchildren. Some would like to spend the whole day outdoors. Others, give them a book and a quiet place and they are content to spend hours that way. Give the outdoor person a book and he’ll whine, sigh, and fidget. But put the bookworm outside, and he’ll complain about the bugs, the heat and want to go inside. The way he should go.
Consider:
First, the passage doesn’t say the way that “his parents want him to go,” or more so, “the way dad wants him to go.” Some dads want their child on the mound throwing a baseball. But that child would rather sit behind a piano and play music. Parents have to come to terms that their childhood is over. You have lived it. Let your child develop into the area that they are good at.
I grew up with sports. My wife had a balance of sports and music. We tried to put that balance to our children when they were young. It’s hard to know what your child is good at or likes until you try some different things. Sports? Which one? You may bounce for a few seasons between this sport and that sport to see if your child has a liking for any of them. You may try piano classes to see if there is any interest there. It’s hard. It can be expensive. It takes patience.
Second, whatever direction your child leans towards, a foundation in God is foremost. If he leans towards sports, then he’ll be an athlete that is a good sportsman, who is a gracious loser and a humble winner. If your child leans towards the arts, then he’ll honor the Lord by what he does.
More important than the sports, the arts, the clubs, the travel leagues, is walking with the Lord. As parents, we often forget that God has plans for our children. His plans may not be what our plans are. Learning to stick with something, learning to be honest in what one does, learning to think of others, are life long lessons that will shape the heart of your child.
Third, as a parent we need to teach our children that no matter where they are, they are never really alone, because God is with them. There are times and places, that even as a parent, you are not allowed to be with them. Surgeries. Driving exams. Sitting in classrooms. Going on dates. You won’t be there, but God is. That can help them remember who they are. That can help them have confidence and hope.
There is so much good that your child can do. Through the conviction of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, the heart of the Babylonian king was changed. Through your child, a team can change, a school can change, a friend can change. Don’t underestimate the power of young voices and the conviction of faith.
Some are natural leaders. Help them lead kindly. Some are followers. Help them to discern who to follow. There is a way to go and you are to help them. And, that can become a lifelong endeavor for them.
Roger