Am I raising my children properly?

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

Am I teaching my children my son Dillon and two daughters Yeri and Karis whom God has given me and my wife as gracious gifts rightly so that even after I die, they will not depart from the way that should go?  Am I training them in the way they should go? 

Until now whenever I meditated on Proverbs 22:6, I encouraged myself and our church parents to teach our children three things: Right Value, Clear Purpose, and Eternal View of Life.

But today when I was meditating on Proverbs 22:6 again, I was taught that I should teach my children five things.

The first thing is I should teach my children that a good name is to be more desired than great wealth.

Look at Proverbs 22:1 – “A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.”  The Bible tells us to choose good name and favor more than silver or gold or great wealth.  This reminds me Noah.  The Bible says “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8).  Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time and he walked with God (v. 9).  I want my three children Dillon , Yeri and Karis find favor in the eyes of the Lord like Noah.  Therefore, I hope and pray that they have the good names that God knows and approves.

The second thing is I should teach my children that the Lord made the rich and the poor.

Look at Proverbs 22:2 – “The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all.”  Naked the poor and the rich came to this world, naked they will leave this world.  We came to this world with empty hands and we will leave this world with empty hands.  Our lives can be abundant, but it can also be in need.  The important thing is not to be rich or to be poor, but to learn the secret of contentment (Phil. 4:11).  Therefore, as Dillon, Yeri and Kari live in this world where the rich and the poor live together, I hope and pray that they are satisfied with the Lord.

The third thing is I should teach my children that the prudent sees the evil and hides him/herself.

Look at Proverbs 22:3 – “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.”  The foolish ones who cannot discern sins are the naïve ones who go on even when they see the evil.  How foolish is this?  I want to nurture my children so that they can hide when they need to hide.  Like David who ran away from King Saul and hided in the cave.  I don’t want to raise my children like the fools who recklessly harm themselves and drive their lives into a crisis.

The fourth thing is I should teach my children that the reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor ands life.

Look at Proverbs 22:4 – “The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.”  How important is humility in Christian virtues?  I want myself to be humble before God and before people.  And I hope that my three children can see Jesus’ humility in my life.  I also seek God's wisdom.  One reason is that those who have the wisdom of God fear God.  Also, those who fears God hate evil.  Therefore, I hope and pray that God gives Dillon, Yeri and Karis wisdom so that they can fear God and hate evil.

The last fifth thing is I should teach my children that those who guard themselves will be far from thorns and snares.

Look at Proverbs 22:5 – “Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards himself will be far from them.”  The righteous God punishes the rebellious.  And that punishment is thorns and snares.  I don’t want Dillon, Yeri and Karis to walk in the way of thorns and snares.  In order for them not to walk in the way of the perverse is to teach them how to guard their hearts.  I want them to be humble and fear God so that they can be far from the way of the rebellious and walk in the way they should go.  I hope and pray that God gives my children humility and wisdom.

As I was meditating on Proverbs 22:1-6, my short comings were exposed in that I didn’t faithfully teach my three children in the way they should go in a holistic and balanced way so that even when they are old they will not depart from it.  When my children are old I won’t be in this world anymore.  So before I die, I must diligently teach Dillon, Yeri and Karis in the way they should go.  I hope and pray that they learn throughout their lives that the good name is to be more desired than great wealth, the Lord than rich or poor, wisdom than foolishness, humility and fear of God than arrogant and evil, those who guard their hearts than being rebellious so that even when they are old they won’t depart from them.