'Train' nor raise

Solomon said, “Train.” He did not say raise. You raise vegetables, but you train children. Feeding a child nutritious meals, providing warm clothing, giving him his own bedroom, and kissing him good night is not training. Most every species of animals does these things for their young. Training a child is calculated instruction and discipline to form long-term character and wisdom in the fear of the Lord and knowledge of Scripture. You train them “up.” This describes the period from birth to maturity. Training can begin early, as infants can be taught a feeding schedule and that not all crying gets immediate attention. It progresses from a control stage to an instruction stage, and then to a counseling stage. It continues through puberty and a whole new set of issues. It continues to maturity, when a young adult creates a new home and starts the process again. You train them up “in the way.” Parents cannot train every step, but they can train the direction (Gen 18:19). God gives children to parents with a blank slate for a mind. You fill that mind with godly knowledge and wisdom. As Scripture does not dictate every step of your life, allowing much individual liberty, so you train them in the way of godliness. They are to be trained up in the way “they should go.” It cannot be the way they want to go. Each child defaults to foolishness and sin from Adam. Without training against that default instinct, they will grow into committed and hardened sinners. No training is default training – you will have a fool for a child (Pr 29:15). The way they should go is the way of righteousness laid out plainly in Scripture (Deut 6:4-9; 29:29; Eph 6:4). It must not be the way the world would have them go, for that is Satan’s way (Eph 2:1-3).