There is a counsel to parents in Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Parents are advised to train up a child in the way to go. That leads to a question – which is the way to go? Well, we may think in terms of virtues befitting of a decent society. However, that would be part answer. In reality, the way a child should go is the way that God, the creator of all life, has ordained for him or her. That means parents who will excel at training their children well must understand what the mind of the Lord is concerning each of them.
“Parents who will excel at training their children well must understand what the mind of the Lord is concerning each of them.
I believe this was what Manoah was trying to do from our text. When he finally encountered the angel of God, he sought for clarifications concerning the miracle baby on the way. He sought to know “the boy’s rule of life, and his work”. In these words are two powerful keys that can guarantee success in life. Number one, any life that will climb to the top must be governed by some standard codes. The rule of life for one may differ from that of the other; but there has got to be rules. Someone without any form of rule cannot end up as a ruler. The world has known many talented individuals who made nothing special of their gifting. The major problem was that they failed to put themselves under governing rules. Secondly, Manoah asked for the boy’s work. I find this interesting. The boy had not been born, yet there was a work already earmarked for him. Those who understand these two elements will not only make a good job of their parenting task, but also prepare their wards for a phenomenal future.
