Proverbs 22:6 states “Start a youth out on his way; even when he grows old he will not depart
from it.” Paul David Tripp, in his book Intentional Parenting: Family Discipleship by Design,
writes “True discipleship is a long, steady process, and you have fewer of those especially
formative years left to work with.1” There is a solid truth in this Proverb; whether speaking into a
youth’s life positively or negatively, the impartation has long-lasting effects. I believe that
Proverbs 22:6 outlines a promise because it has been proven that what a youth experiences
during their formative years has a long-lasting impact on their future. It is true that it takes a
God-sized moment in one’s life to bring them to change their ways and refocus on God, that’s
why God promises us this. Just as God’s will for Israel was for them to view Him as King, but
instead chose to pursue a human king… this Proverb promises that a child’s ways will be
solidified in their formative years and likely not depart from them. The first impediment that
could impact the way a child should go is a parent not recognizing what way the child should
move in to begin with. Though obvious, without this piece of the puzzle in place there is no hope
for the child to determine, or move towards the biblical way of living in their future. The second
impediment would be the parent not being exposed to the idea that they should be instructing
their children in the ways of the Lord to begin with. This presents difficulty because many
Christian parents in America are not familiar enough with the Word of God, or perhaps not
taught strategies on how to be familiar with it so they are unable to lead their children in a way
that truly represents the Kingdom of Heaven. The final impediment for parents to impart the
wisdom and knowledge of God in their lives stems from an emotional fear. The emotional fear
ties into the idea that a parent will view this discipleship simply as work that they need to
conduct in order for their child to grow towards God. The current cultural alternative is dropping
a child off at youth group with the expectation the youth pastor will impart knowledge on the
parent’s behalf.
Renfro, Paul, Brandon Shields, Jay Strother, and Timothy P. Jones. Perspectives On Family
Ministry: 3 Views. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2009.
1 Paul David Tripp, “Mirro,” in Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family
(Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016), 15.
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