Most Christian parents in America are familiar with the verse “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

However, few parents realize the true implications of the verse: dedicate, be good stewards of, and train children according to their natural abilities and talents. If parents do this, their children won't depart from God's design for them.

The verse further implies that each child is unique and has been given his or her special talents and abilities for service in God's kingdom.

Parents need to groom their children in biblical principles and in the use of their God given gifts.

Stewards or owners?
According to numerous studies done over the past 50 years, parents (regardless of generation or presumed generation gap) have the greatest influence over their children's career decisions. 

Even in today's society, with the influence of television, movies, peers, Internet, and broken marriages, parents are still the primary influence that affects their children's career decisions.

This is the way it should be, because God has given parents a special responsibility of serving as managers or stewards of the children God has given to them.

Unfortunately, some parents view their role as owners rather than stewards, and this has caused many parent-child relationship problems.

Owner. If parents view themselves as owners, they will likely feel a responsibility—sometimes an acute responsibility—for what their children will do, or become involved with, as adults. Those parents will apply pressure to mold them into desired careers or professional roles that they have envisioned for their children.

Stewards. If parents view themselves as stewards, they likely will be more concerned about helping their children develop their talents and abilities through sound guidance and encouragement. With this type of approach, children can become what God has equipped them to be.

Avoiding common mistakes
The following are five primary areas about which Christian parents should be very cautious with regard to influencing their children's career decisions.

• Don't pressure children to become pastors, evangelists, or missionaries. It's normal for Christian parents to want their children to be involved in the work of the Lord. But it is harmful to them when they are pressured by their parents into the ministerial profession just to fulfill their parents' dreams and desires.

All Christians are called of God to minister, but not all are called into a paid ministerial position. The concern of all parents should be that their children would accept the Lord, use their talents and abilities to serve Him and to work in service for Him as He directs, help others to know Him, and help those in need.

• Don't pressure children to live the parents' dreams of success. One of the biggest problems that parents face comes from legitimate desires to see their children become successful.

However, when parents push and manipulate their children toward career fields and professions because they seem to be more prestigious fields or they will satisfy the pride and ego of their parents, the children could very well find themselves on the road to frustration, depression, and/or career disaster.

• Don't pressure children for the sake of money. So often parents pressure their children to pursue careers that pay the most money, rather than careers that appeal to and complement their talents and abilities. This attitude by the parents implies that the more money their children make, the more successful they are. Although money is an important consideration, it should not be the dominating focus.

The single most important thing parents can do to help their children prepare for and find careers that complement their abilities, bring peace and contentment, and provide adequate monetary compensation is to make sure that their definition of success is based on biblical truth. “It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it” (Proverbs 10:22).

• Don't pressure children because of pride. God has made all of us different for a purpose. Parents need to recognize and accept the fact that their children's abilities and talents are gifts from God and that these gifts were designed for both practical and eternal purposes.

Therefore, parents shouldn't want their children to be carbon copies of themselves, like the same things they like, or have the same career aspirations as they do. That's being prideful.

• Don't neglect positive encouragement. Once parents accept the fact that their children are different and unique, it's much easier to encourage them to pursue a career path that will reinforce their children's desires and maximize the utilization of their talents.

Parents must not resist their children's natural attraction to a particular career choice based on their God given gifts. Rather, they need to find ways to encourage and support their children and help them discover the career choices that are consistent with their gifts and are most complementary to those gifts.

Conclusion
There are many areas of parenting that will affect children's development into adults. But the one area that could affect them for the remainder of their adult lives is their choice of careers or professions.

Many times parents are far more influential in regard to their children's career choices than they realize.

So, parents are advised to get to know their children, try to understand them, and be aware of their natural God-given abilities and talents. They then can give direction based on God's design, rather than on parental desires or expectations.