"Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6 Bend the Sapling While It's Young I was raised in the Pine Belt of South Mississippi, also known as the Piney Woods. Within that context, a common phrase regarding child rearing was "you better bend that sapling while it's young!" A sapling was a young tree with a slender trunk. Often the young pine saplings would lean to the left or to the right and without intervention, they would grow crooked. Our Responsibility Such is the case with our children. As we covered in the FAMILY segment of MD5, God has given us the responsibility to train our sons and daughters while they are young. There is a short window of time that is crucial in the lives of our children. If one attempted to straighten a pine tree after it had aged, it was an effort in futility. The tree and its roots had a set direction that could not be altered. Spiritual Nurture So it is with our children. We must "bend those saplings while they are young," with the ultimate goal of pointing their hearts to Christ. According to the Proverb, if we spiritually nurture them in their early stages of development, our efforts will pay dividends for the rest of their lives. Let's Ask Ourselves Which direction are our children pointing today? We have no greater responsibility.
Steve Crawley MD5 Facilitator