Train up an child in the way he should go. Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6, NASB

It should be understood that this command is first and foremost an instruction to parents. God's design from the beginning was that a mother and a father be working together to raise the children that they have made. Men mess this simple part of the pattern up all the time and we all too often see the tragic results of a child being raised by only one parent, with that parent typically being the mother. While it is true that there have always been tragic circumstances, from fatal illnesses to war, that have taken away one or both parents through no fault of their own, we usually see a broken home resulting from the sin of one or both of the parents.

Barring that, we will have a proper situation in which both mother and father are raising their children together, and a critical part of that raising is in the training. We have all taken part in some sort of training, whether in school, or on a team, or on the job, so we are familiar with what good training looks like. In short, it is that teaching which brings a student, athlete, or worker to their highest and best use for the tasks before them.

This is precisely the charge that parents are given with their children. They not only provide them with the physical tools that they will need to grow and succeed in a physical world, but they are also given the task of raising them to be pleasing to God. This means that morals and virtue and character are not only taught, but their compliance is non-negotiable. Things like truthfulness, integrity, and kindness are carefully and lovingly instilled within these children. And parents do so not only because it is required of them by God, but they are also motivated by their love for both God and their child. When done correctly, this training will result in a happy life and a happy eternity.

There is another element to this training that is also important and that is also found in the directive, "in the way he should go". Of first importance in this command is the training up in God's way, but there is also another vital side to this instruction. It is found in the fact that our children will have different personalities, different talents, and different interests. We therefore have the duty to take their individual natures into account as we train them. We still teach then the same virtues and the identical rules that God requires all men to abide by, but we then need to recognize the uniqueness of each child.

When a coach is training a brand new set of basketball recruits, he or she will teach them all the same rules. The fundamentals of passing, dribbling, shooting and defending will not change. But some of these kids will be more suitable for different positions on the team due to variables like size, quickness, dexterity and the like. Some kids are clearly more suited for guarding the other team's "big guy", while others will be best able to "bring the ball up under pressure". A good coach will recognize each players individual potential and will train them accordingly, with the recognition that this type of training will differ from player to player.

So we are left with this understanding: Parents are to train their kids to be the best servants of God under the commandments that are universal, but also in a way that helps them to serve best according to their individual set of circumstances. Accomplishing this is no small feat, but remember - we are training up our children to do nothing less than to serve before the King!

And the last part of the verse - the promise that states that when they are older they will not depart? That part is up to the child, for it will still require a good heart that will allow them to serve out of love, rather than mere duty. This second half of the verse also contains a promise that is God's part of the agreement. For when we do our part to train the children up in the right way, and when our children's hearts are motivated to serve the Master because they love and adore Him, then God will surely keep His end of the bargain by not letting any depart from His way that are determined not to depart.

It;s a pretty big responsibility, but one that comes with the greatest of possible rewards - Heaven!