Practice Makes Permanent

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

train: to give the discipline and instruction, drill, practice, etc., designed to impart proficiency or efficiency

drill: any strict, methodical, repetitive, or mechanical training, instruction, or exercise

The actions and language that I allow to be practiced regularly by my children will become their habitual responses and behavior. Therefore as I encounter various responses and behavior, I am responsible to determine whether those things are acceptable or unacceptable before God, me, and my husband. I am also responsible to implement a strategy for the sake of correcting and redirecting any wrong responses and behaviors. I am responsible.

Why? The answer is simple: I am a steward of their young lives. God wants me to walk diligently before them for His name's sake. They are His heritage; His desire and plan of salvation is for them.Therefore I am to lead them in that direction; work to form in them hearts full of obedience, respect, and honor; and help develop strength of character that is pleasing to Him.

Is that not the job of the Holy Spirit? In great measure, yes, but amazingly enough, He looks to us for a large part of the job as well. The admonition to train up a child was not given to the Holy Spirit but rather by the Holy Spirit to us. He is looking to us to accomplish this work.

Fortunately the Holy Spirit in His faithfuness to them will, as He has so diligently done for me, renew minds and retrain hearts and reshape wills. But how much better for them to have good character established at a young age. I know from experience -- both mine, others, and now my older children's, that it is so.

So be assured, the job is yours and mine. And be confident, also, that He will be faithful to us in it -- He has a vested interest in seeing that it is accomplished!

Next time we will look at the different levels of training and practice that we want to realize in their lives.