Proverbs: Day 22

Proverbs 22

[6] Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

Verse six finds itself crocheted on the walls of many homes. As with many of the more familiar passages of Scripture, there are some misunderstandings concerning the meaning of the passage. Is this to be understood as a promise? In the Introduction to the book of Proverbs, the ESV Study Bible provides the following helpful comment regarding the interpretation of Proverbs;

Proverbs of necessity focus on consequences, and this raises the question of whether they are “promises.” Proverbs by nature deal with general truths, and are not meant to cover every conceivable situation. Consider the English proverb, “Short cuts make long delays”; the very form of the proverb forbids adding qualifiers, whether of frequency (often, usually, four times out of five) or of conditions (except in cases where …); these would lessen the memorability of the sentence. The competent reader knows that the force of the proverb is not statistical, but behavioral—in the case of the English proverb cited, to urge due caution. In biblical proverbs, the consequences generally make God's basic attitude clear, and thus commend or discourage behavior.

Without misunderstanding this verse as a concrete promise from God, take comfort in the fact that this is how God generally deals with His people. Take confidence in your God-given responsibility as primary-disciplers in the lives of your children.