Give Me Thine Heart

“My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” (Proverbs 23:26 KJV)

Raising children in a Christian home is a ministry all in itself. It is a task that is the work of a lifetime. Contrary to society’s philosophy of turning children out at age eighteen, there is no place found in Scripture which indicates or insinuates such a practice. Even though there is a point where an individual becomes accountable for their own decisions and actions, parents are still responsible for prayer and counsel.

Christian parents like to use Proverbs 22:6 as a “safety net” for raising children, but an important element seems to be overlooked in many cases and that is getting the heart of the child. If a child will not surrender their heart to the parent, there will be no training in the way they should go. One father said that if there was a single thing he could go back and do over in the raising of his son, it would be to teach his son to be a “giver” and not a “taker.” This man never got the heart of his son and therefore, the boy grew up never having his eyes directed to observe the ways of his father. As a result, he lives a life of self rather than productivity.

How does a parent get the heart of their child? Ask for it. This is what our text indicates. If our Lord asks for the heart of the sinner in order to redeem them, the parent must ask for the heart of the child to raise them. The heart must be surrendered from a free will. Start when they are young. Ask with love. Ask often. Pray the child will be trainable and yielded to instruction. Then you better teach them something or you will raise “Cain” rather than a Christian.