Out Of The Nest

It's that time of year when the new, young robins are out of the nest. Although they are as big as their parents, the only way I can distinguish them is by the speckles on their breasts.

All day long, especially in the morning dew, they hunt for worms and grubs. I find it amusing to see the parents go to their young and continue to feed them, as the little ones wait in excitement. These young birds, though waiting to be fed, are learning to fend for themselves, always coming back to the way their parents taught them.

Teaching our children the way of the Lord in their younger years will show them the way to go when the trials and temptations of youth come upon them. If they should go astray, we pray that they will come back to the way their parents taught them. Like the robins in the animal kingdom, children do not train themselves; it is the moms and dads who do the training.

Looking after little ones is a simple expression of caring. Let us pray for the children, that they may have loving, caring parents to nurture and care for them, training them in the way of the Lord, and preparing them for the days, should they go astray, when they will need the grounding of the past to find their way back.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (NIV)

Prayer: Dear Lord, we come to You, seeking Your way for Your children. We pray that we, who have influence on children, as parents, as relatives, as friends, or as teachers in school, in Sunday School, or in Vacation School, will use it to train them in Your way, Lord, that they will not be led astray. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.