Proverbs 23 - Deliverance

"Do not withhold correction from a child,

 For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.

 You shall beat him with a rod,

 And deliver his soul from hell."

 ~ Proverbs 23:13-14

 

My middle son, Caleb, can be a handful at times. He is extremely curious (good thing), but he gets himself into trouble when he has nothing to occupy his time with (bad thing). He is extremely bright (good thing), but he can be a big bully to his siblings if he sees them making mistakes (bad thing). He has a dogged tenacity (we named him well), but unrestrained, it has negative effects on his life (not so good).

 

If I left Caleb to his own devices, he would have an uncontrollable temper, be a bully to others, and be outright rebellious, thinking he could get away with whatever he wanted to.

 

Discipline is necessary in order to teach children self-control. The Word of God says to beat a child so that he will learn his lesson and be delivered from hell. It doesn't say coddle him and love on him in the hope that he will stop his rebellious behavior. It says to spank him. It also says, "He shall not die."

Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Correcting a child with a rod (either physical or verbal) so that he learns right from wrong in the eyes of God will spare him certain eternal death if he continues in his rebellious path of destruction. Balanced with teaching them God's Word, you are training them up in the way they should go, so when they are old they won't depart from God's Truth.

 

I know this is a really touchy subject. Moms have been told they can't spank their child, because others have abused the method of correction and turned it into physical abuse. The same could be said of verbal discipline. Many parents have run with their angry emotions and turned to abusing their children verbally and emotionally with their words.That is not what I am promoting.

 

I am promoting a healthy wooden spoon smack on the fat of the child's hiney when their rebellion calls for it. I'm not saying spank a child for putting their hand in the cookie jar or forgetting to do her chore. Outright rebellion looks different than a minor infraction. It resembles an opportunity for death or harm, such as disobeying you and running out into the street -- or consistent lying and deceit. 

 

For minor infractions, a good talking to should be sufficient, or a time out. 

 

But once in awhile a parent finds a need for a more hefty punishment. 

 

Which reminds me of Jesus. Jesus was free of sin. He lived an innocent life. Yet we, as humans born into sin, are not so innocent. God the Father saw fit to bring a rod of punishment upon His own Son in order to set us free from certain eternal death. If our Father in heaven loved us so much to put His Son through the torment and pain of the road to the cross so we could recognize our rebellion, why do we cringe at the thought of spanking a child in order to turn him/her away from theirs? 

 

Just a thought...

 

And by the way, I cry when I have to resort to using the wooden spoon on the fatty part of my children's hineys. You can rest assured I don't abuse my kids. Nor do I like spanking.

 

Photo Copyright 2009 Alycia W. Morales