Raising children

“But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.” 1 Samuel 8:3
Here we read of Samuel’s sons. His own faith did not translated into their lives, just as Eli’s faith had not translated into the lives of his sons. We can’t help but think that Eli’s lackadaisical attitude towards bringing up his own children had an influence on Samuel’s life in this regard. Samuel came into Eli’s service as a small boy, having been raised by his godly mother, Hannah, until he was weaned (in that culture, this means he would have been about 3 years old). He already knew the Lord, and the Lord spoke to him at a very young age (1 Sam. 3:1-4). However, given the blank slate of his own sons, it would seem that he failed to bring them up in the fear of the Lord.
There is no guarantee that the children of Christian parents will themselves become Christians. Left to their own devices, they stand as much chance as any other person. But their future is dramatically improved if we as parents take our responsibility seriously in bringing them up in a godly home. Find and make opportunities to talk about God every day (Deut. 6:7-9). Pray together. Show them the reality of God in your own life. The early years are the most important. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Prov. 22:6).