Start Them Right Series

Introduction

Video Ill.: Teaching Moment

6 Train a child in the way he should go,

    and when he is old he will not turn from

it.

(Proverbs 22, NIV)

We are continuing our study, focusing on the very real truth that Jesus is coming soon.

The gospel and sharing of the gospel should mold the way we shape our home through our traditions. Does this mean that we ought to do catechisms with our children? Does this mean that we need to be more intentional about how we celebrate religious holidays? Perhaps. These are matters of personal preference.

What we do need to do is train our children.

Some translate that first word as “Start” — set the child on the right path — start them out right, and they will not turn from it.

The Daily Study Bible

Proverbs

Pg. 145. © 1986. The Westminster Press, Philadelphia PA.

According to Kenneth Aitken, writer for The Daily Study Bible Commentary Series, Proverbs commentary, writes that the “Hebrew in the second half of [that first] line … simply reads, ‘according to his [the child’s] way’. This could mean that the training must be tailored to fit the needs and aptitudes of the individual child. The wise parent will always keep that in mind.” 

At times, it feels like such a daunting task set forth for parents — to train, lead, and guide our children.

Start Small

Source: John Ashcroft. From the files of Leadership.

https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1997/april/4516.html

Copied from Preaching Today

Ask yourself what you would have done if you had inherited New York City as mayor twenty five years ago. Crime was out of control and more than half of the citizens admitted in a survey that they would move out if they could afford to do so. The city was a depressing place, and it must have been a somewhat daunting job to be elected mayor.

Where do you start?

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani started by going after the little things. "I am a firm believer in the theory that 'minor' crimes and 'quality of life' offenses are all part of the larger picture," he explained. Among the first elements to go were the "Squeegee Men," drug-addicted and shady-looking riffraff who personified New York's rough edge. Armed with a soiled rag and a dirty bottle of watered-down Windex, these men would bully and badger motorists for money.

Giuliani said, "We're not going to put up with this anymore," and he brought this intimidation to an end. He then declared war on graffiti, subway panhandlers, loitering, broken windows, and petty vandalism — minor offenses that would have gone unnoticed in days past while the police force was overwhelmed with homicides and violent crime. But Giuliani had a hunch: if you send out a signal that you won't tolerate these minor offenses, people will get the idea that the major offenses will be treated even more seriously.

"One graffiti defacement or one loud radio may not seem like much of a problem, but criminals thrive in chaotic environments," Giuliani explained. "Small problems can be the first step to big trouble. Neighborhoods scarred by graffiti or blasted day and night by boom-box radios will become besieged, vulnerable, and ultimately dangerous places. If police departments surrender on the small issues — using the excuse that they are too busy dealing with 'serious' crime — they soon will find themselves surrendering to the latter as well."

It worked. Giuliani was successful in reducing crime beyond all expectations. Between 1993 and 1996, the murder rate came down almost 50 percent. Robberies plummeted by 42 percent while auto thefts dropped by 46 percent. The streets of New York City became safe in a way that was unimaginable just a few years earlier.

Oftentimes as parents we get "stuck" or lost in the big challenges of life. “What can I do to really get through to my kids?” we wonder, but the truth is if you take care of the little things, the big things will fall into place.

In a family, in a business, in a school — yes, even in big cities — it’s all the same: the importance of the little things outweighs their size.

This morning, we are going to outline four small ways that we can begin to train our children, so that they have the foundation they ultimately need to form a relationship with Jesus as their Lord and Savior, who is coming soon.

First, spend time with your children.

There’s a TV commercial, for what I cannot remember, but one of the scenes is a father sitting on the front porch with his son, who is playing a guitar. And the caption says “You can’t have quality time without quantity time.”

One of the simplest ways to spend time with your children, and your family as a whole, is to eat at least one meal together each day.