Our Children’s Spiritual Foundation

Dear friends,

What does Proverbs 22:6 mean to you?

Proverbs 22:6 - Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Most of us think this means that if we train our child in the ways of the Lord, then he/she will not depart from that truth they have learned as a child, because they first learned God’s truth in their life and it then becomes the foundation for the rest of their life. This is true.

This verse (Proverbs 22:6) is also loved by the devil, because it works in his favor also. If the devil can make sure that his deceptions are what our children learn first and depend on, then the lies of the devil become the foundation for these deceived persons.

What ever foundation we believe in – it is that same foundation we will also build upon. In our life - we will build upon the foundation with more of what is already contained in the foundation. If our foundation is God’s truth, then more truth will be built upon that foundation. If our foundation is not of God’s truth, then lies and deception can only be built upon that foundation.

So what foundations are you letting being built in your children? Are you giving over your children to the world to create the foundation, or are you protecting your children from the world until they have a Godly foundation completed in their life? Who or what has the most influence in your child’s life? Where are they getting most of their training? Where is most of their time spent?

The verse that proceeds Proverbs 22:6 is what we need to do concerning our children or for that matter any believer that is not mature in God’s Spirit yet.

Proverbs 22:5 - In the paths of the wicked lie thorns and snares, but he who guards his soul stays far from them.

Many of us are heart broken, because we have children that have grown up and gone away from the Lord or have children that have never really came to the Lord, and we ask ourselves “why did this happen”. Well, if we let our children be given over to the wolves in sheep’s clothing to train our children, how can we be surprised when they don’t submit to the Lord and His ways when we have let their foundation be laid by the world which values selfishness instead of Godly love. Also, like most builders already know, and now we have sadly realized – once the foundation has been laid, it is very hard to remove it and lay a different foundation.

You may ask – but what can we do? Don’t our children need an education to make it in this world? Yes they need an education, but what is the education they need? Do you want your children to prosper in this earthly life even if it means forfeiting their eternity in heaven – the devil is very happy with this plan. Unknowingly - this is the plan that most of us have found ourselves following. But, there can be a Godly balance – we need to educated our children on the ways of the Lord first and realize every other kind of learning must fall under and have less priority then learning about God and committing ourselves to Him. We must not put the cart before the horse – we must keep God the priority or all is lost and worthless.

Remember – the devil wants to get at our children first, because he wants to lay the foundations of their life before God can. Are you going to let him?

Your caring servant in Christ,
Michael Reid