The book of Proverbs should be a central component to the methods we use for training our children. It was written by Solomon (excluding the final two chapters which were written by others) for his son. Consider the different statements to this point found in the book.

– “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.” (1:8)
– “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (1:10)
– “My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path.” (1:15)
– “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” (2:1-5)
– “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:” (3:1)
– “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:” (3:11)
– “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:” (3:21)
– “Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.” (4:10)
– “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.” (4:20)
– “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:” (5:1)
– “And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?” (5:20)
– “My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.” (6:1-2)
– “Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. (6:3)
– “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:” (6:20)
– “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.” (7:1)
– “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.” (19:27)
– “My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.” (23:15)
– “Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.” (23:19)
– “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” (23:26)
– “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.” (24:13-14)
– “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?” (24:21-22)
– “My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me.” (27:11)

As one reads the book of Proverbs, the wisdom of God in dealing with the many various situations of life is seen in stark contrast to the wisdom of men. In the times of teaching and training our children, why not bolster our instruction with the biblical proverbs that apply to such teaching? There are proverbs dealing with everything from abundance to zeal; lying to lust; love to hate; friends to enemies; parents to spouses; and everything in between. We often use the proverbs as a personal tool, but they are a vital teaching tool and one that works well to impress on young minds the principles of guidance found throughout Scripture. Therefore, let us: “Train up a child in the way he should go” (22:6), that when he is old he will not depart from it.