The Way They Should Go? Series

THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO?

Proverbs 22 says to “train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” And in the state of New York, that means we should pay high dollar amounts in the middle of a recession in order for our 3 years olds to get the proper training in hopes of earning acceptance at a premier kindergarten. What?

No kidding. According to a New York Times report, commercially prepared test-preparation courses that have helped students gain admission into prestigious high schools and universities, are now being offered to little Johnny, right after he is old enough to maneuver the pedals on his Big Wheel. These preparatory sessions, which cost over $1,000 apiece, train little Johnny up in the ability sit still, follow directions, play with toys while sharing, wait before blurting at a question at an adult, and a ton of other basic social and verbal politeness skills that are already being taught by most mothers and fathers. Parents paying for the program remark at how polite their child is afterwards, and on how their accelerated score on the Olsat Reasoning Test (whatever that is) certifies them for high-level kindergarten admittance, thus giving them a head start on life.

What’s next? Perhaps we should offer advanced testing to our 2 year olds in order for them to make the necessary strides forwards in order to obtain a degree from the highest esteemed pre-schools. How about putting our toddlers on an advanced tracking system so that they earn magna cum laude on diaper care? Maybe, rather then having our parents read Little Red Riding Hood to their pre-born, we should create personal womb computers and place them on the mother’s belly in order for the newborn infant to be trilingual on their first day in the world?

Or maybe we should put aside a ton of the extra pressures facing children today, and instead teach them that the author and giver of life, the Lord Jesus Christ, can handle any of their pressures? Don’t you agree? Since when did the worldly success of our kids become more valuable their personal walk with the Lord and knowledge of the scripture? Folks, isn’t it a shame that we can graduate high school students who understand the ins and outs of molecular biology but couldn’t name even half of the 10 Commandments? Of course it is.

Raising up a child in the way that he should go does mean that we raise intellectually successful adults. It does mean that if a child enjoys math that they move towards engineering, or if a student likes to sing that they are pushed towards the arts, or if a student loves the outdoors, that they could be pushed toward working with the parks, etc. But it means more than that. It also means that our children learn the Bible and fall in love with Jesus. Scripture asks, “What good is it to inherit the entire world but lose one’s soul?” That question is as poignant today as it has ever been. And we don’t need to answer that question with a $1000 check, but with our hearts directing our children towards the Lord.