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

Seventeenth Century English Puritan minister John Flavel wrote the following powerful words about the ultimate responsibility of parents:

“How many families are there, though not profane, who yet train up their children vainly and sensually, and take no care for their souls? It is no matter to them that the devil seeks their souls. If they can but leave them lands or money, they think they have fully discharged their duty. O with what language will such parents and children greet each other in hell!

Parents, I beseech you to consider your duty. Consider your close relationship and concern for their happiness. They give you joy and you highly value them. You sympathize in all their troubles, and sorrow at parting with them. Shall all of this be to no purpose? You value them, yet in the meantime shall you take no care of them for eternity?

God has entrusted their souls to you as well as their bodies. What can comfort you if they die without Christ through your neglect? O this is a grievous consideration; my child is in hell, and I did nothing to prevent it, and I helped them there!

If you neglect to instruct them in the way of holiness, the devil will not neglect to instruct them in wickedness. If you do not teach them to pray, the devil will teach them to curse and lie. Weeds will spring up in uncultivated ground. A twig may bend to any form, but a grown limb will not bend. You are an instrumental cause of all their spiritual misery. By nature they lie spiritually dead before you, and by imitation they will follow your example.

No one is as likely to do good to them as you. You have their natural affection, and daily opportunity. You know their temperaments. If you neglect, who shall help them? O remember that text: ‘And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God’ (Rev 20:12). What a sad thing it will be to see you dear children at Christ’s left hand! Oh friends, do your utmost to prevent this misery!”

Nothing else needs to be said about properly prioritizing our parental responsibility to tend to the souls of our children.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIAN PARENTS TO PREVENT WEEDS FROM SPRINGING UP IN UNCULTIVATED GROUND. We must do our utmost to prevent such misery!

ADMIN: The thoughts from John Flavel came from “Voices from the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings” edited by Richard Rushing.