"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6). This verse is not a promise about faith. It is not speaking of training a child to follow Christ or promising that if you do, the grown child will continue to follow Him. Sorry. The proverb is about raising a child to know who he is and to guide him in becoming ever more himself. In the way he should go. Not in the way you would like him to go in order to validate you as a mother and a woman. It speaks of teaching a child to live from his heart, attuned to it, awake to it, aware of it, and when that child is grown he will continue to life a life from the heart. It is about seeing who a person really is and calling him out to be that person.

This quote is from the book "Captivating" by John & Stasi Eldrige. I must have read it three times in awe. I had never ever thought of this verse in that light before. I've always thought of it in that we should raise our children in faith and they won't depart from that faith. But this explanation makes so much sense! And I think it does speak a little of faith. Our hearts and souls were created to worship the Lord. If we teach our children to follow their hearts, be attuned to their hearts and awake to their hearts desires they will automatically be drawn to the Lord. What an interesting thought on parenting.