Proverbs 22:6–8 (ESV)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
7 The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
8 Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of his fury will fail.
Solomon begins with one of the greatest responsibilities God entrusts to parents: training their children. Wisdom is not something children naturally drift toward. Instead, they must be intentionally trained through instruction, loving correction, and a godly example. The Hebrew word translated “train” carries the idea of setting a child on a particular course from the very beginning. Because every child’s heart is naturally inclined toward foolishness, parents are called to direct their children onto the path of God’s wisdom while they are young.
This proverb is not a guarantee that faithful parenting can accomplish what only God can do. Every son and daughter must personally choose whether to follow the Lord. Rather, Solomon teaches the ordinary pattern that early instruction has a lasting influence. The truths learned in childhood are not easily forgotten, even when they are neglected for a time. Parents cannot change a child’s heart, but they can faithfully point that heart toward Christ and entrust the results to the Lord. In the end, parents are responsible for their faithfulness, not for decisions only their children can make.
The next proverb turns from parenting to finances. Solomon observes a reality of life: the borrower becomes, in a sense, a servant of the lender. Debt itself is not condemned, but the obligation it creates limits freedom and places the borrower in a position of dependence. Wisdom therefore encourages contentment, careful planning, and faithful stewardship rather than unnecessary debt.
The final proverb reminds us of a principle woven into God’s moral order. The woman who sows injustice should not expect to harvest blessing. Wrongdoing may appear successful for a season, but its final harvest is always destruction. Even the “rod of fury,” the authority or influence she once used to intimidate, manipulate, or oppress others, will ultimately fail. No amount of power can stand against the righteous judgment of God.
Every path becomes easier to follow with repeated use. As countless feet travel the same trail, the ground becomes hard packed, making it more and more natural to walk that way. The same is true of a child’s life. Every lesson from God’s Word, every loving correction, and every faithful example helps establish the direction she will follow. Begin early. Train faithfully. Then entrust your children to the Lord, confident that the paths formed in childhood leave an indelible mark on the course of adult life.