The Fallacy of "Waiting Till They Grow Up"

We sometimes hear of parents, and others responsible for the guidance of youth, who defer or indefinitely postpone the religious education of children. This attitude is often defended as being modern, liberal, and broadminded, and the explanation usually given is that “We’ll wait for the children to grow up and let them make their own decisions. We won’t urge our opinions upon them.” It sounds easy and plausible, but logic would suggest that if it were good to wait for the children to grow up before we instil in them any religious or spiritual convictions, wouldn’t it also be best to wait until they have grown up before we begin to school them in any phase of life⎯wait until they grow up and let them decide for themselves whether or not they want to be honest, whether or not they want to be law-abiding, whether or not they want good health? If, in the name of being modern and liberal, we are not going to take a hand in the habits and thinking of a child with respect to religious and spiritual matters, logic would demand that we don’t take a hand in his habits and thinking with respect to physical or ethical or intellectual matters⎯let him grow up before he decides whether or not he wants to go to school, what he wants to eat, whether or not he wants to respect authority of any kind. Before a child is out of the cradle, his character and his attitudes begin to take shape, and his future well-being cannot in wisdom be left entirely until he is able to choose for himself: in matters of morals and ethics, in matters of food and raiment, in matters of mind or of spirit. The training of a child, including the shaping of sound spiritual and religious convictions, can scarcely begin too soon. It is by early vigilance and prayerful guidance that parents can later send their sons and daughters from their homes with the comforting assurance that the years of their youth will be a restraining and protecting influence in their lives. And when so many are so far from home, those who have a settled faith in a living God, and in the accomplishment of his purposes, are much better prepared to meet the stress of the times, wherever they are, whatever they see. “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie then about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.” (Proverbs 6:20-22).