Train Up vs Train Down
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov.22:6. If our children see us putting other things ahead of God, they will become discouraged and disillusioned, like a young Jewish boy, Karl, who once lived in Germany. Karl’s father was a successful retailer, and the family practiced their Jewish faith. But then they moved to another city, and the boy’s father announced that they would no longer attend synagogue, no more Sabbath keeping. They were going to join the Lutheran church. The boy was very surprised and asked his father why the family was joining the Lutheran church. His father’s answer was something like, “For business reasons. There are so many Lutherans in this town that I can make good business contacts at the Lutheran church. It will be good for business.” That boy, who had a deep interest in religion, became so disillusioned with his father that something died within him. He said to himself, ‘My father has no ...