Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
Proverbs 22:6 is probably the best-known passage on the issue of childrearing and, ironically, the most misunderstood. One classic interpretation of this proverb goes this way:
Be sure your kids attend Sunday school and church regularly. Teach your children to know and obey the Ten Commandments; teach them to pray at mealtime, bedtime, and for emergencies. And be sure to feed them a steady diet of Bible verses. Do this early on because—watch out!—teenage rebellion, where they will sow a lot of wild oats, will detour their spiritual journey. When their fling is over, they’ll come back to God. You can count on it because this verse has God’s promise on it.
The classic interpretation has two major strikes against it. First, it fails to appreciate the very colorful, intricate word-pictures used by the Hebrew poet. Second, it doesn’t hold true experientially. Some young people have rebelled and returned, but many others never returned, choosing instead to pursue their sin to the grave.
Another interpretation suggests that parents have two options to present their children: the righteous, wise path or the destructive, foolish path. Send them down the righteous road and they’ll enjoy a long, righteous life. Not exactly sage advice. Nor very useful. Wisdom usually offers insight that is less obvious.
A better interpretation of this verse begins with an appreciation for the complexity of the poet’s use of the Hebrew language. This simple, eight-word couplet drips with poetic allusion and metaphor, conveying practical, comforting wisdom that no parent can afford to miss. The most important of these lessons can be found in two terms.
