TRAINING UP

In our family devotion, we have this sort of a game where we recite memory verses. At the end of the month, there will be a “raffle draw”. Whoever will be picked should be able to recite his/her memory verse for a prize of Php 1000.00. This is just a simple game that we do to encourage bible reading, but it brings me more than that…

During our elementary days, room decorations are very common. They are the pride of every grade level. There is no competition, but our teachers made sure that there is something to be proud of in how our rooms looked like. When I was in Grade 3, our teacher (Ma’am Norma, if I remember it correctly) placed these cut-out letters on our wall where everyone can see it.

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

This became the very first verse I was able to memorize without the intention of doing it. And this is the first memory verse I recited during our devotion. I read my bible a lot, and I finished reading it twice already. But I don’t think I have many “memorized” verses. More than memorizing them, I believe in putting them into my heart and actions. But this one readily came up when we were asked about our memory verses. I wondered why. I could not remember discussing it in our life group, and I don’t think I have heard a full sermon about this verse. Then I realized: I had read this particular verse for a whole academic year or more when I was in Grade 3, and it remained in my memory. Well, the power of repetition, right? Remember when you were studying for an exam and you were memorizing loudly so that you can remember it easily? I do not know my teacher’s intention of putting it on our wall, but I am thankful that she did.

I think Proverbs 22:6 works similarly. Repetition. When we want to instill a lesson to a child, it will remain with him if we would train him in that particular truth. Even if we think he’s not getting it or he’s not listening to it, just do what should be done. Repeat it to him again and again. You will never know if it works until you see him living that truth one day. He may not understand it at the moment, but time will come that he will live it out. They say that kids nowadays don’t like to be told repeatedly. But if we will do it correctly, as the verse says, he will not depart from it. Although I was not able to grasp the meaning of that “decoration” in our classroom before, it became a guiding path for me. It remained in me just because I read it everyday for a whole year.

In our discipleship group, I also make sure to train them in the way they should go through the help of the Word. When they get older or more mature, in one way or another, they will surely be reminded of the lessons we had. And they will make decisions based on their learning, what they remember, or how they were trained. I did the same in my classes when I was still teaching. Aside from teaching my students with lessons from the curriculum, I also gave them life lessons that may come useful somewhere in their journey. I could only hope that they will remember those when time comes.

With our family devotion, I can see this verse working as well. Our cousins have children aged 3-11. Although they do not participate in our discussion, they can hear what we are talking about and see what we are doing every day. A particular cousin shared about how she realized that her youngest son (5 years old) is actually listening and learning with us. One time, her eldest son worried about how they would be able to join our devotion because they still do not have Internet connection. Her youngest told them that they should just pray because God can do everything. Isn’t that amazing?! Apparently, silent and young as they are, they can understand what we are doing. They are learning as we model our faith to them. And we continually pray that they will remember all of these when they grow older.

I can’t help but think of our Fave. We are excited on how we are going to train this little one! We know that the Lord will help us. We don’t know how yet, but we believe that we can do this! Fave will not depart from the ways of the Kingdom.

One memory verse. One powerful life lesson. Does the verse also speak to you? I hope so.