The Training in the "Bent" of a Child: An exegesis of Proverbs 22:6

We are inundated with people who either realistically have never had children, don't plan on having any, or will never handle children of any sort; who are affecting the decision-making processes of parents who deal with children everyday. The sad thing is; I have always known that to be an expert in an area, you definitely must have experience in that area as far a practice is concerned.

There are tons of people in our society that are academicians and theoriticians and not practitioners. Especially, when it comes to the subject of rearing children. I find it most beneficial that doctors in any science who practice are on the real cutting edge of breakthroughs, as far as diagnosis and treatment is concerned, and that doctors in any science who are academicians and have never practiced are just theoretic in most cases with regard to diagnosis and treatment.

Well, the line in the rearing of children is not a one, two, or three step as some of these people assume. The mental framework of children are based on a "bent" or as the Scripture states in Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way that he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." The phrase "in the way that he should go" is literally rendered in the Hebrew, " `al- piy darkow" {`al- (in); piy (he should go); darkow (the way)} or in English "according to his way".

The phrase, "the way" in English is translated from the Hebrew "darkow" in the Septuagint (LXX --Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures) and Masoretic Text. Both however, use the noun "derek" (deh-rek) which means literally "a road (as trodden)". Figuratively it means "a course of life or mode of action". The real catch is that this word or noun "derek" is derived from the root word or verb "darak" (daw-rak) which means "to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)". Hence the key idea is that a child's training or "chanak" (to initiate, to teach, to dedicate, to consecrate, to inaugurate), should be according to his "bent" or "bending". This simply indicates that if a child's bent or bend is a certain way then that is how he should be consecrated, dedicated, initiated, inaugurated, or taught.

Let's face it some children are harder to bend than others. Better yet, it is hard to teach\train children who are bent in a certain direction. The whole idea of bending and training them is just so that they do as a bow does for an arrow, "shoot straight".

On many occasions I have had parents say that their son or daughter did change some things for the better, after being embarrased on a particular occasion. Then the son or daughter did say that he or she was embarrassed, and that the embarrassment did get the point across to them. So their emotional and psychological makeup was not hindered, it was bent right and now they are shooting arrows properly.

On other occasions with children an embrace was more responsive than an embarrassment, which caused the same result; a child "shooting strait".

I must say the Scriptures always work out for the sake of those who properly apply understanding to the truths they (Scriptures) tend to teach.

The Crystal Cathedral and Personality Driven Churches: A lesson in Affinity for men and Allegiance to Christ

Many in the church world have proven my point for years by what has been going on for the last twenty years or so. Their allegiance is not to Christ! I have said for some time now, "We may have an affinity for men, but our allegiance belongs to Christ!"

One News Now has on its website an online article dated 02-01-09 written by Associated Press writer Gillian Flaccus entitled, "Televangelism empire in chaos over family split". An excerpt from the article states:

"Once one of the nation's most popular televangelists, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is watching his life's work crumble.

His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, has abruptly resigned as senior pastor
of the Crystal Cathedral. The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch is home to the "Hour of Power" broadcast, an evangelism staple that's been on the air for more than three decades.

The church is in financial turmoil: It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt. Revenue dropped by nearly $5 million last year, according to a recent letter from the elder Schuller to elite donors. In the letter, Schuller Sr. implored
the Eagle's Club members - who supply 30 percent of the church's revenue - for donations and hinted that the show might go off the air without their support."

Chrystal Cathedral is not going down as a church if it is founded on Christ. However, it is the televison programming "Hour of Power" that is going down as of this moment. Perhaps there is a time of judgement for this kind of thing. People have been substituting the local church for television church. One is biblical and the other is not! I agree with the interjection, "OH, WELL!" Parachurch ministries should spring from the local church but not be a substitute for it.

That's the problem with these personality (the best name for Rick Warren's "purpose driven") driven churches. The only person to whom the church should be driven is Jesus Christ. There is to much man-center preaching, rather than Christ-honoring, God-glorifying, expository preaching that gives biblical doctrine ahead of seeker sensitivism. Suffice it to say the fact that the theology of Robert H. Schuller (the dad) is different that Robert A. Schuller (the son). You can even tell it in their preaching.

Church history teaches us that this kind of thing (personality driven church) is never ever going to work, because it does not have God's support or blessings upon it; no matter how long it has been in operation. Swaggart found that out. Check out most of his preaching now. It is totally different than it was years ago.

True biblical exposition doesn't seek to draw crowds. It is exhalts God, and equips and draws saints. Evangelism is how you reach lost men (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15-16). Discipleship and biblical expository doctrinal preaching is how you "keep" saved men (I Timothy 4:11-16; Acts 2:42-47).