Train Patiently without Claiming Control
Written for Bible Journey Plan. Our editorial standards.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 KJV
Parenting requires repeated instruction. A lesson understood on Monday may need to be taught again on Thursday. That repetition can feel discouraging when we expected one careful conversation to settle the matter permanently.
Train with patience and a clear purpose. Explain what is right, provide suitable practice, and use consistent, appropriate correction. Encourage progress without demanding that a child possess an adult's judgment before having time to grow.
Couples need to support one another in this work. Discuss differences privately when possible, share the labor, and remain willing to learn from wise counsel. Anger and humiliation are poor substitutes for careful teaching.
Parents are responsible to be faithful; they cannot manufacture saving faith or guarantee every future decision. Do not use this proverb to blame grieving parents for every wrong choice made by an adult child. Trust the Lord while carrying the responsibilities He has actually given. A patient household keeps teaching the truth, showing grace, and taking the next appropriate step without pretending that love comes with control over another person's heart.
Keep the passage in context
The proverb commends faithful training in the right way. As wisdom literature, it should not be treated as a mechanical guarantee that parents can control every later choice of a child.
Read further: Proverbs 22 in the King James Bible.