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Recent studies are proving the principles of Scripture to be true. What
a mother eats or drinks or how she responds emotionally, affects
the child she is carrying. We have two Biblical examples to confirm this
fact. The first one is concerning the mother of Samson who was instructed
on what she should not eat or drink. The second shows the emotional
response of the baby when the mother of John the Baptist was overjoyed!
"Then the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman, and said to
her, Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you
shall conceive and give birth to a son. Now therefore, be careful not to
drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing." (Judges
13:3-4)
"And it came about that when
Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. And she cried out with a loud
voice, and said, Blessed among women are you, and blessed is the fruit
of your womb! And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord
should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my
ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy." (Luke
1:41-44)
When we know that the habits of the mother and father are transferred
to the child, we can understand why training begins in the womb. It should
then continue faithfully from birth until grown. Naturally, different
methods are used at different stages of growth.
All parental training centers around habit patterns. Let us look at
one of the basic habits to be developed.
The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy
6:5-9:
"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your might. And these words, which I am
commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them
diligently to your sons ("children" in
some translations) and shall talk of
them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you
lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them as a sign on your
hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. And you shall write
them on the door posts of your house and on your gates."
This instruction is repeated in Deuteronomy
11:18-20 followed by the consequence of this
diligence. In todays vernacular, we understand the principle of
the above Scripture to mean, first of all, that loving the Lord is of
prime importance. And then everything we think, say and do
will be evidenced by others. It will be like a neon sign on our persons
and in our homes.
Parents, as well as all Christs followers, are warned against
following the
ways of the world:
"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and
empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the
elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."
(Colossians 2:8)
Ephesians 6:4b is clear in its instruction:
"
but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the
Lord."
The results of proper training will be evidenced in the children.
"It is by his deeds that a lad distinguishes himself if his
conduct is pure and right."
(Proverbs 20:11)
When parents' hearts are focused on following God's plan for their
children they will also seek to know where the training begins. The
next link will attempt to give some answers.
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