Train up a child.....

This verse has been part of my life since I was a little girl. It has, as has the entire Word of God, shown itself as precious to me many times since I became a mom to these four, precious children. I was reminded of this wonderful verse again today.

I think I can safely say.....I lived a sheltered life as a child. My parents took us to church every time the doors were opened. We went to camp. We were part of Awana. We even went to a Christian school. I didn't see my first movie until I was 11 years old and living in Oklahoma. And dancing......forget about it. Being 'in the world, but not of it' was the mantra of the church I grew up in as well as I the college I eventually attended. I don't recall hearing a lot of foul language as a young child and I certainly wasn't placed in any situations where I had to choose right from wrong or even stand up for what I believed in. If you think about it.....I had it pretty easy.

These days, times are a lot tougher than they were when I was growing up. My children are in public school and have been since day one. But even if we could afford to put them in Christian school.....I'm not sure we would. They are being challenged every day. And every day God is teaching them how to love the world without loving the behavior of the world. Every day, God is teaching me how to raise them in the love of admonition of Him.....that my children are safe in His hands....that He will never leave them or forsake them.

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6.

Joe and I have tried to teach our children what is right and what is wrong. Some things they've listened to and understood.....Others, they haven't. We've told them to use kind words and a kind tone of voice when speaking to others. We've told them that other people need to see Jesus in them....in their words and in their actions. We've spoken to them about smoking, drugs and drinking. About saving their bodies for the person God has designed for them. We've encouraged them to stand up for what is right. To have confidence in what they believe in. Today, Trey had the chance to stand up for what is right. And he did the right thing.

While walking toward where I was standing, the boys were accompanied by another boy on their way out of Sunday School. I do not know if this boy is a church member, but I do know who he is. This boy began sharing an inappropriate joke, that included a cuss word, with my boys. All three of my boys decided the best thing to do was ignore him, but apparently this boy wasn't to be ignored and continued trying to tell the joke, again using language that shouldn't come out of the mouth of any child. And this was in my church!

Trey then looked at him and said, "You shouldn't be cussing." Yes!!! This boy apparently didn't like being admonished as he gave Trey a little shove and stalked off gruffly.

I told Trey later how proud I was of him and of all of my boys. First, for trying not to participate in an off-color joke, but then for standing up for what is right.

Train up a child.

I know there will be times when my children fall and succumb to sin. I would be naive to believe they wouldn't, but today, my boys didn't allow the temptation of the devil to get the best of them. They took what Joe and I have been teaching them and applied it perfectly.....and on the grand-scale of victories, this could probably be considered a small one. But how we handle ourselves with the small things will determine how we handle ourselves with the big things.

Who knows what my kids will be confronted with tomorrow.

As for today......I give God the victory!!!!