Even a Child Prov. 20:11  CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

You can certainly tell whether a man’s work is pure and right by simply examining it – and his work tells an awful lot about his character.  Even a child is known by his doings.  A man that is lazy will cut corners on his work – he will leave his work half done – he won’t finish the job – and if there is no one standing over him to make him work, he will sit down and never accomplish anything – he’s lazy and his work is not right and it is not pure.

A man that is diligent will finish his work – his work will be good and lasting – it will show the marks of being finished with care and it will stand the test of time – his work will reveal a good character.

The trouble today is that society doesn’t care whether his work is pure and right as long as someone can make money off it.  If he is financially successful then he is good.  But financial success isn’t the test.  The test is whether his work is PURE and RIGHT.  In athletes we see more and more moral decay and no one seems to mind much as long as they play well on the field and win games.  Some people still care about PURE and RIGHT, but not many.

Well, as the work of a man reveals the man so even the work and doings of a child will reveal the child.  You can watch a child and more times than not you can tell whether that child will grow up with a good character or a bad character.

So, if you can tell bad character early in the child then you need to do something about it – you need to encourage the strengths of his good characteristics and correct the deficiencies of his bad character – otherwise he is going to turn out just like you see him – and trust me, you can’t leave the job to school – school will generally not strengthen his character – the evil influences more likely will drag him down.

William Langley said, “Bend the tree when it’s young.  If you try to bend it when he is older, you will have to break the tree.  And what good is a crooked old man.  The only thing left to do with him is to try to make money off of him in a freak show.”

So, how are you going to strengthen the child so that his work is PURE and RIGHT?

First, you have to give him the right example – like father like son – the acorn never falls very far from the tree – 1 Tim 4:12-13 – what Paul told Timothy applies equally to you and your kids (your own and the ones who watch you that are not your own) – they have to see PURITY and RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Second, you must limit the evil influences – books, movies, internet, music, and friends can all be associated with impurity and unrighteousness in a child – Phil 4:8 – you see a wicked child that your child wants to hang out with, cut it off (you can tell by his doings).

Third, you must increase the good influences – church, Bible reading, music lessons, devotions, and prayer – what you expect them to do, you do with them – sending your child to church while you go to the hunting lease ain’t it!!

Fourth, you must love them and they have to know it – Hank Thompson said about his children, “I had their hearts!” Tit 2:4; Eph 6:4.

Fifth, you cannot spare the rod of correction – Prov 22:15 – applied correctly and expeditiously, the rod will drive away foolishness and teach your children to obey what you say when you say it.