Pastor Faith Oyedepo: Sunday November 1, 2015 Daily Devotional – Early Lessons

Topic: Early Lessons [Sunday 1 November, 2015]

“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.”-Proverbs 23:13

Going through some articles, I came across this striking statement that caught my attention. In the simplicity of the words used, I read a whole lot of meaning into it. It states: “Learn early to teach, for children learn early to sin.” I have seen little children act naughty and their parents’response to their action is: “He/she is only a child and doesn’t know what they are doing.” I beg to differ.

More often than not, I have come to realise that most children are aware of their actions, but prefer to hide under the shadows of their innocence. However, even though they are unaware of their actions, it is your duty to teach, correct, rebuke and reproof them, till they become of age to rightly choose between the good and the bad. This is where some parents have failed in child upbringing.

They tend to assume that their children would learn what’s right and wrong on their own. However, it doesn’t work that way. The above statement says, “Learn early to teach…” So, child training starts from infancy. It starts with seemingly little tips such as teaching your baby how to give, not to fight, not to tell a lie, how to let go of other children’s toys, etc. These things might seem insignificant to you, but it matters a lot in helping to mould godly children.

The outcome of your child is what you made of him or her at childhood. So, you must pay particular attention to them in their early stage, just as you would at adolescence. Most times, when you get this foundation stage of their lives right, you would have little to worry about when they are grown. Therefore, I commend you to learn to teach your children early, so you don’t try to straighten “an already dry fish”. Receive grace to act accordingly in the name of Jesus Christ!

Remain Blessed!

Pastor Faith Abiola Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.