Truth of the Week 4: Train Up

How does one simply – train – a child appropriately? What does train mean? According to The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible by James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D. – the Hebrew for the word train is chânak (khaw-nak′) – it means to narrow, to initiate or discipline, dedicate, train up.

Training is specific. People don’t train for 30 things so they can be slightly good in all 30 categories, but train in more narrow fields so they can be really good in them. I personally only have a few categories I will dedicate my mental and physical space to so that I do a really good job in my personal interests for my version of a successful and happy life. I do not have time to dabble in everything because then it would take up time from doing what I need and want to be good at.

Sure our children need to learn a broad spectrum of things to be able to successfully navigate the real world but what are we narrowing in on so they can be good at all the things? Are we teaching them to solve problems for themselves, giving them the tools and walking alongside them, keeping them accountable for their decisions? Do they have consequences to correct poor behavior?

The best teacher I ever had was in high school and he was a world history teacher and he was the hardest. He told us that if we didn’t remember one stupid thing about history, but we learned how to think for ourselves, he did his job. I respected that and it made class a million times better as it stretched my abilities to think. Oh, and I don’t remember squat about world history.

We are not here to argue today which schooling system is best. What a heated debate that doesn’t change anyone’s mind, ever. Honestly, they all have their own black holes that will make for challenges in each group of children as well as different positives specific to each group. I know, I know, whatever you chose is the best. Not to shoot confidence out of anyone, but I know a lot of adults from a lot of different educational backgrounds and the playing field is pretty even from my observations. We would like to argue instead about that core value system that needs to be instilled in children before they leave our nest.

The kind of Hebrew word for training referred to in Proverbs uses the words narrow, initiate, discipline, dedicate and train up.

What few narrow things should we be focused on from a parental standpoint? Homeschool books, public school books and private school books all train but what narrow focus are we making as parents to create a core set of values in our children?

Moral values need to be taught at a young age and explained why so it makes sense. I always want to know they whys of what I am doing or what I believe, our children should be no different. If they don’t know why they believe what we tell them, it will be easier for them to be led astray if they don’t truly believe in the why. It’s up to them to decide but who is training their character?

Let’s talk about discipline for a minute. Yes, another hot button topic, I know. As a mother I don’t know what would have changed my child’s behavior sometimes if it were not for discipline. I don’t mean yelling empty threats at my kids and considering that work complete. I mean the follow through of negative enforcers to make my child think again when given that same situation. I’m not advocating any specific punishment at the moment –

Print this image and post somewhere you will see it all week!

important and very obvious points. These new followers were anticipating

receiving the Word, and they searched the Scriptures to see if what they heard

was truth.

readiness? There is an eagerness to learn, this group of people Paul went to

talk to were excited to hear what he had to say and make sure he was brining

truth.

want to make this obvious. Could the written Word they were referring to be the

Old Testament that the Jews in the synagogue had access to? The prophets in the

Old Testament and the written words of Moses prophesized about the coming

Messiah, so could that be what they were looking to compare spirits teachings?

open minded than Jews in other places like Thessalonica. They were looking for truth – not merely hoping

upon it like falling into a hole in the ground covered with leaves. Oops, well

since we fell down here. That’s not how we grow. We search for it. God promises

we will find truth if we seek with all our hearts (Jeremiah 29:13).

get word He’s here? I can imagine the excitement the people who were taught

their whole lives that they were going to receive a Savior who would change the

game and He may or may not come in their life time but then all social media,

er, gossip at the well is saying He may actually be here?! I can feel the

excitement. Is it Him? Who does this guy say He is and does He fulfill our

prophets claims? How do they find out? They search His words. Oh He does! Paul

is now telling us Jesus is Christ – man and God and He raised from the dead?

This is Him and the people who stayed open minded and looked for wisdom

received.

foundational truth they were looking for to determine our Savior – we are past

that? Do you ever hear voices telling you something you need to do and you

aren’t sure if what you heard was from God or just you telling yourself

something or possibly the other nasty voices that play up there too trying to

confuse you?

Is it true? Is it loving? Does what you think He’s saying line up with His

character? In my experience, His voice

is always calm and never rushed.

has autism and we learned that before she was 2. I honestly didn’t think her

state of health could decline but boy I was wrong. Right around her 4th

birthday she had caught another fever virus – and with her immune deficiency

diagnosis she caught everything. I didn’t think much of it until the third day

she had it she had a big lacy rash all over her body. Gosh, she’s had this

Roseola at least twic