Response:

There are several different opinions as to what that Proverbs 22:6 means. Keil and Delitzsch say that it simply refers to training children in an age-appropriate way. Barnes Notes says that it means to examine the child's temperament and educate him based on that knowledge. I have heard others say that it means that you should raise a child according to his natural bent; in other words, if your child is musical, train him to be a musician, not an auto mechanic.

I do not believe that these are correct. The word "train" in that verse carries the idea of "dedicate". It also carries the idea of "narrowing, setting aside, or hedging in". It is pretty clear that the dedication is a focus on, and commitment to, God. The word "way" in the book of Proverbs does not refer to personality or stage of life, but rather to the "proper way". Therefore, it is pretty clear that the verse is teaching that parents are to dedicate their children, from the beginning, to walking in a way the is Biblically correct. This is also logical. The Bible does not spend time telling parents how to produce talented employees. It DOES spend much time telling parents how to produce Godly offspring.

However, some commentators that hold this position then go on to say that there is no promise here that children will continue in this path. This opinion, however, is not based upon the Bible, but rather based upon their personal observations of children who have gone bad even though they came from seemingly solid Christian homes. Walvoord and Zuck say that this is "only a proverb", and thus can only be considered to be a general rule of thumb. I disagree. I do not believe that the Bible is a book of suggestions and "general rules of thumb". What God says, He means. If all Scripture is profitable, then how can it be that the application of this Scripture might not really work? That simply makes no sense.

I Timothy 3:4-5 teach that if a man does not have his children under control, then he is disqualified from the ministry. How can that be fair, if proper training of a child does not insure an appropriate outcome? Why is a man disqualified from the ministry because of his children's behavior if there is nothing he can really do that can change it? After all, if Proverbs 22:6 is a "general rule of thumb", then I can do everything right and still have a wayward child.

The fact is that parents have a responsibility to raise their children in such a way that when the children are grown they will still follow the Lord. Let me conclude with a quote from Harry Ironside.

"The tree follows the bent of its early years, and so it is with our sons and daughters. If taught to love the world, to crave its fashions and follies in childhood, they are almost certain to live for the world when they come to mature years. On the other hand, if properly instructed as to the vanity of all that men of this present evil age live for, from the beginning, they are in little danger of reversing that judgement as they grow older. Parents need to remember it is not enough to tell their little ones of Jesus and His rejection, or to warn them of the ways of the world; but they must see to it that in their own lives they exemplify their instruction. This will court above all else in the training of the young. To speak piously of separation to Christ while manifesting the spirit of the world in dress, the arrangement of the home, and the company sought and kept, will be readily set down by observing little ones as dissimulation and hypocrisy; and we need not then wonder if they grow up to cast all our WORDS behind them, and to love what our WAYS proclaimed to be the real objects of our hearts." ("Notes on Proverbs" 1907)

By Dr Mark Montgomery Ambassador Baptist Church 1926 Babcock Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412)477-3210