LEARNING TO DISCERN YOUR CHILDREN'S PATH

Introduction

Proverbs 22:6 Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older, he will remain upon It. TLB

Proverbs 22:6 Direct your children onto the right path,
    and when they are older, they will not leave it. NLT

Proverbs  22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. KJV 

Proverbs 4:11 I have taught you in the way of skillful and godly Wisdom [which is comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God]; I have led you in paths of uprightness. AMP

I never knew it was the responsibility of the parent to help discern their children's path in life. Our parents have tried and they are good. I just looked into it that if our parents have helped us right from our tender age, without their "self-will" to direct our path but doing it according to the way of the Spirit of God will inspire our heart and we would have moved far than this. Well not all parents are "self-will" when it comes to directing a child. Looking at the scripture;
   "to direct, teach or train a child up in the way he should go"...
This means, there is a way a child should go, and if he doesn't go in the direction, it means, he has not found the path the Lord has set for him. Thus, you are the means to the tutelage of THE WAY they should go, has helped by the Lord, which will demand you to be able to discern them, so that when the child is of age he will not depart from these instructions. Let me say this as we continue, when you have your first child, you can train him in the way of the Lord that when the second child comes, he/she will see what has been happening in your home and will follow the set pattern. This is how your first child will pass the experience to your second child. Second children are often "copy-copy" they just follow after what the first child does. When we raise up our children in the way they should go, they won't depart from it as the scriptures says.

My good friend, Ayo Oliyide said something about parenting in his article "Parenting; a godly
responsibility"

"We need to be spiritually discerning so as to help
them live a quality life. Everything looks good from the outside but a spiritually discerning parent can stop evil before it enters. The parent must be a priest in the house and as a priest, your duty is to stop death before it enters into a city. Parenting is priesthood. Parenting is not a bragging right, it’s a call, a work, a responsibility that must be done with all diligence."

What he said is very strong and we need to become sensitive as parents. He added some few thoughts by saying.

"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29.

Parenting is God’s business that He’s given to every Family blessed with children.
It is an assignment from God to us as a model of
how to carefully mold lives. Lives are at stake here.
Your children will become What you mould them into. They came into the world innocent and exhibit whatsoever they are trained to do by their parents. A dysfunctional parent will raise a dysfunctional child, so Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.

Parenting is our Number one responsibility in the home as parents and our core duty is to,

1. Build, as the Lord builds, and
2. Watch over, as the Lord watches.

Many confuse parenting for providing food, shelter, and clothing…. and that’s why they substitute work for their role as parents. It is vain. People work themselves up to provide all these things for their family an assume that’s all about parenting. No.
That’s even secondary in parenting. The core duty of parents is to Build and Watch over. Just like a farmer sows, and watch the plant grow. It’s a lot of work and effort, else the enemy will come at night (times of less vigilance) to sow rates among the wheat. So, as you build, also watch because the devil is always lurking around.
A parent must know that he/she has a Godly assigned responsibility to raise a godly child and accounts will be given to God as regards how well we have done with God’s assignment as parents."
Parenting is more of an assignment than a show that we have kids. We are the guide to the path the Lord has set for our children and they need us. It's an assignment that every parent need to rise to, God gave you kids because He knows you're up to the task. How good is it when we ask God for children and we also receive grace to also guide them in the way they should go. Every parent is a coach that instructs, guides and shows every child the way to go, even according to their several God given abilities.
So it is right for us to discern the grace they all bear and be able to operate with them in such capacity. When we become parents that teach, correct and discipline the kids the way they should go, then we will have joy and rest over them.

Proverbs  29:17  Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. KJV

Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. NLT

You remember what the word says about children that they are for signs and wonders.

Isaiah  8:18  BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM THE LORD HATH GIVEN ME ARE FOR SIGNS AND FOR WONDERS IN ISRAEL from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.

This doesn't just say the children alone, it says you and your children are for signs and wonders. Signs and wonders are for us and our children. Men are to see the hand of God in our lives and in our children's life that will cause them to wonder and say of a truth, the Lord is with thee. We must begin to see the practicality of this in our children's life and also in our own lives as God's people. The word of God is always right about this signs and wonders that God has made us for.

Psalms  33:4  For the word of the LORD is right;
and all his works are done in truth.

Since the word of God is always right, we must boldly confess what God have done for our children. Our homes is supposed to be a reflection of God's goodness. Men are supposed to come spy or ask us, how are we doing it that you have five kids and all of them love the Lord and they know their course in life. This too will reflect in their academics, that their colleagues in school might it see it and start imagining how good their parents are. We must properly align our lives according to it. Discerning their path is key and it help define God to them. They will appreciate us better when they see that we have laid a proper foundation for them to build their lives on. See this as a burning desire that must come to pass in your life as your family will experience parenting your children in a way that heaven design it to be.
How do we achieve this as parents? This book is set to explore them, just patiently read through and also work on what you learn, it's important.

Tope Akinyele.
2016.