Henry Waiters

The Bible tells parents how to train their children: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6). “And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4).

Parents should diligently teach children God’s word: “These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart, and thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children” (Deut 6:6).

High ideals should be placed before the young: “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim 4:2).
God requires this duty of children: “Honor thy father and mother” (Ex. 20:12).

Note one of the prominent sins of the last days: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Tim 3:2).

God reproved Eli the high priest and judge: “In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house; when I begin I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not” (1 Sam 3:12, 13).

Youth should be taught to respect the aged: “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary (gray/white) head, and honor the face of the old man and fear thy God; I am the Lord” (Lev 19:32). Good fruits are produced by proper child training:” “Correct thy son, and he shall give delight unto thy soul” (Prov 29:17).

There are undesired results if correction is withheld: “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame” (Prov 29:15) and “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Prov 22:15).

There is danger if correction is delayed too long: “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying” (Prov 19:18). Bible correction does not indicate a lack of love: “He that spareth the rod hateth his son, but he loveth him chasteneth him betimes” (Prov 13:24.

Children who are allowed to come up to m manhood or womanhood with the will undisciplined and the passions uncontrolled, will generally in a after-life pursue a course which God condemns. The neglect of parents to properly discipline their children as been a fruitful source of evil in too many families. The youth have not been restrained as they should have been.

Parents have neglected to follow the directions of the Word of god in this matter, and the children have taken the reins of government into their own hands. The consequences have been that they have generally succeeded in ruling their parents, instead of being under their authority.

False ideas and a foolish, misdirected affection have nurtured traits which have made the children unlovely and unhappy, have embittered the lives of the parents, and have extended their baleful influence form generation to generation. Any child that is permitted to have his own way will dishonor God and bring his parents to shame.

The Lord chastens us, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Heb 12:6.

Fathers mus guard against: “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, let they be discouraged” (Col 3:21). Correction should never be given in anger, for anger in the parents stirs up anger in the child. It is well to pray with a child before correcting him, and frequently, mild but faithful instructions, admonition and prayer all the training necessary and are the best training that can be given.

But in any case of perverseness, stubbornness, or willful disobedience, the correction should be persisted in until the child yields submissively to the will and wishes of the parent.

It is best, generally, that correction should be done in private, as this tends to preserve the self-respect of the child, a very important element in character building. No correction nor training should be violent or abusive, or given for the purpose of breaking the will of the child, but rather to direct the will, bring it into proper subjection, and the child to a realizing sens of what is right and duty.

Present effects and future results are contrasted: “Now, no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward if yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb 12:11).

There is a question every unfaithful parent will meet: “Where is the flock tat was given thee, thy beautiful flock” (Jer 13:20). Happy will be those parents who can say, “Behold, here am I and the children though gavest me” (Is 8:18).

Dr. Waiters can be reached at 704-636-3369.