To Each His Own

And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 1 Samuel 8:1-3

Those that have the most grace themselves cannot give grace to their children. It has often been the grief of good men to see their posterity, instead of treading in their steps, trampling upon them, and, as Job speaks, marring their path. Many have begun well, promised fair, and set out in the right path, so that their parents and friends have had great hopes of them, yet afterwards have turned aside to by-paths, and been the grief of those of whom they should have been the joy.

Many that have been well educated, and have conducted themselves well while they were under their parents' eye, when they have gone abroad into the world and set up for themselves have proved bad.

Let none therefore be secure either of themselves or theirs, but depend on Divine Grace. (Matthew Henry)

As I'm reading through the Old Testament, I am amazed that the great men of the Bible had trouble with their children. Eli, the priest who brought up Samuel, his sons were so evil that God literally took their lives. At least Samuel tried to reign in his sons. As parents, we have to depend on God's Grace for our children.