Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.” (Proverbs 20:7)

Probably no other endeavor has more lasting impact than the influence we parents have on our children. We may well quote Proverbs 22:6 , “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it,”or, Paul’s advice to fathers, “bring (your children) up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4) We should not, however, interpret that to mean merely “Laying Down the Law.” Actions speak much louder than even well-intentioned words.
Consider Barnabas, The Encourager. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.” (Acts 11:23, 24a, NIV.) If our lifestyle follows that of Barnabas, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, setting an example for others to observe, well and good.
If our words are not consistent with our actions, if they see us leading a worldly lifestyle, filled with self-interest, overly competitive by nature, not only in sports, but also in business, politics, and on the highway, we can rightly expect them to follow that example.
A child is stained by people they come in contact with, every bit as much as my hands were stained brown while gathering walnuts (a fall ritual and a badge of honor for me as a boy but the despair of my mother.) The stain would eventually wear off, but, for a time, bore evidence of my brief contact with the walnuts. The stain of our influence, for better or for worse, may forever mark a child
I recently witnessed a beautiful example of proper parenting at the supermarket. A mother and her preschool age daughter were shopping together. The girl wasn’t riding in the cart; she was picking out each item to place in it. As they moved along the isles, the mother would discuss each item on the list, sometimes making suggestions, at other times allowing the girl to make the choice. They worked together. No conflict between a harried mother and crying child here!
I believe that this mother will soon be able to trust her daughter to not only do the shopping, but to make wise selections. To train up a child means developing a trusting, loving relationship, tenderly encouraging and guiding the child a step at a time toward a lifestyle that will last forever.