"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
Kids & Fitness
Proverbs is one of the books of the Bible we call wisdom literature.
King Solomon unpacks wisdom that has stood the test of time.
As the son of King David, it isn't a giant leap to attribute much of his wisdom to his father's instruction. Maybe this is where Proverbs 22:6 came from, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Prov. 22:6, English Standard Version)
I have heard this verse often used when someone experienced a wayward child or when instructing young parents to be diligent in their child's spiritual upbringing. While I believe that application is true, these wise words are not only for our spiritual man.
I bet you didn't think I would be talking about fitness, did you?
The Dark Side of Fitness
I have seen men become obsessive about their fitness.
They would get up at 3 am and go for a run.
They'd hit the gym after work.
They might eat a salad while everyone else eats whatever was served for dinner.
Exercise and eating right are big parts of us taking care of our body's temple, but as the leaders of our house, are we training up our kids in the way they should go?
My Experience
I grew up without any instruction at all on what was healthy to eat.
To be honest, I have struggled my whole life with making good dietary choices.
As an adult, I have learned about portion control, calories in and calories out, getting some cardio in, and not eating after a certain time of night. If I had known this at an earlier age, I wonder if I would find myself more apt to not depart from such wisdom.
To be clear, kids need to be kids.
We don't need to teach them to obsess with their looks or weight. The main idea, the wise idea here, is that we should teach our children the way they should go, spiritually and physically.
When they grow old, they will not depart from it.
Travis Sellers
MD5 Huddle Facilitator