Life's Little Instruction Book

Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

As parents, we all want what's best for our children.  The Lord only knows that I could write a book on "How Not to Raise Your Children," because I made every mistake there was. When searching for that resource that will help our children become good, caring, law abiding, sane and productive citizens, there are tons of books, tapes, cds, classes, and dvds to choose from by doctors, mothers, Hollywood personalities, and old maids.

I remember years ago, while sitting in a seminar session on "How to Promote Your Book" at a publishing convention, a psychologist had written a book on raising children and teenagers.  He went on how he had sessions with troubled children of all ages, and he wrote this book to help parents in raising their children with problems and advise to overcome those problems.  The panel of experts asked questions in order to help authors find the best avenue to promote their books. This guy  was really excited about how his book could help parents in raising their children, but when one of the experts asked, "How did this technique work with your children?" The man answered, "Oh, I don't have any children."  The room full of parents with children, especially those like me with teenagers, laughed and said, "Right."

It always seems to be the people who have no children that give the most advise in raising them.  However, there is a book available to everyone who will take the time to read, study, and practice it. It will tell you not only how to raise your children, but it also gives advice and examples of how to live.  If everyone read and practiced the advice and examples in this book, crime would be down to zero.  This book tells you how to choose friends: Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man you will not go; Lest you learn his ways...Proverbs 22:24-25.

Be not deceived: evil companions corrupts good morals. I Corinthians 15:33. In other words, be careful how you chose your friends, because you are who you hang with.  This advice I always gave my children, because when they began associating with other children with bad habits, my children ultimately picked up those same habits.

This little book tells us how to chose a mate: Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness? II Corinthians 6:14

The book also gives advice for children: Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right. Honor your father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth. Ephesians 6:1-3. What is meant by this is that elders should be respected, and children should listen to them because they are wise, and they know more about life and the hazards in world.  Children, if they listen, will live longer because parents should tell them what will hurt them and how to live healthy and productive.  But, it also tels parents how to raise their children: And, you fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.

What is this wonderful book, filled with insight and information about life? You can find it just about anywhere, even in the desk drawer of a hotel room...it's the Bible.  Even if you are not a believer, you can not argue the fact that you read books all of the time by so-called experts that tell you what to do in order to feel good about yourself and others.  Well, I'm telling you that when you pick up this book, you will find all that is needed to live a good, wholesome, and happy life. 

You do not need politicians and government agencies telling you how to raise your children, especially with some of our fine congressmen and women as examples. Those examples are of sexual misconduct, drunkenness, liars, those who practice filthy lucre, and adulterers, to name only a few.  It doesn't take a village, but what it does take is a good moral set of parents to train up the children, and a village who will help discipline when the child is out of the parents keen eye.  So, pickup up this great book, and you will have the best parenting tool ever written.  Think bout it.