Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)
You may have heard the ole saying, “Idleness is the devil’s best friend,” or the old English proverb, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” but how does that relate to our child training?
One of my children’s favorite books these days is The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp. My boys are fascinated by the outdoors these days and this books wows their imagination. As I’ve thought through this story, little did the author of this book know that he was teaching about idleness. The book starts off with Brother Bear and Sister Bear excited that school was out and now they were going to sit around and do absolutely “nothing.” Thankfully Momma Bear had a plan and it didn’t involve doing nothing. Momma Bear hands them a brochure for summer camp and so the dreams of doing nothing quickly turn into days filled with fun and adventure; anything but idleness.
Ryle points out that “No created being was ever meant to be idle.” What he means is that God simply designed us to work. Left to ourselves we are weak and sinful and we need something to do or we will naturally become idle. We need something to keep us active or we will find our selves in unhealthy state of mind and being. Again Ryle exhorts, “We must have our hands filed, and our minds occupied with something, or else our imaginations will soon ferment and breed mischief.” It doesn’t take long to see a child’s mind “breed mischief” when he or she has nothing to do.
Ryle believes that idleness can lead to more sin than almost anything other habit we could develop. He goes so far to say that idleness may very well be the mother many of sins: adultery, fornication, drunkenness, and many other deeds of darkness. ”It is still water which becomes stagnant and impure: the running, moving streams are always clear.” When our minds are active and moving, they are hard targets for the devil to hit.
As parents we are called to set these things before the minds and hearts of our children. As parents we are called to teach our children the value of time and to be good stewards of the time that God gives them. Teach them to glorify God and enjoy Him through work: missions, serving others, cultivating the earth, and yes, even play. Children, as all human beings, are called to redeem the time.
If we are to love our children well, we are to teach them that idleness is a sin.
Practically speaking, this warning against idleness is not to be used as a reason to over-schedule our children with so many activities and sports that the worship of God and the beauty of the Sabbath is neglected. Rather, encourage your children to give themselves whole hearted to pursuing a relationship with God and to glorify God in their play.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 for further biblical encouragement on this matter.
This article has been adapted and updated from J.C. Ryle’s work “The Duties of Parents.” It is part of a series of articles that look at the practical parenting applications of Proverbs 22:6.
