For The Proverbial Palate- Saturday, 05.17.2008

“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Proverbs 13:24

Joy in discipline?

As a child, you may have been told by your parents, just before receiving a spanking… “this will hurt me more than it does you”….. yeah, right.

Then we become parents and find that it is sometimes an awkward situation when as a parent we have to meet out this same judgement. It seems we are living in a day, when there is very little if any being rendered among the youth of our day. A society that is reaping what it has sown.

In the above mentioned proverbs, it does not say that doling out punishment to you child is easy, but it does tell us that it is evidence of whether you love them or not.

First we must understand the reason for this instruction:

Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. Proverbs 29:17

The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Proverbs 29:15

A child must have correction and instruction, and that while he/she is young. If one attempts to influence the direction of the tree after it has become firm in its stead, you run the risk of breaking the main shaft. Yet while the branch is tender, it can be moved and directed to bring forth fruit worthy of delight.

There is a priority to this discipline. It begins with teaching and instruction. The words of encouragement do not promote a spirit of abuse but one of love and instruction. It is a chastening of words; instruction my friend. A voice of reason if you please…. But as a parent, one must admit, sometimes words are not enough

A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. Proverbs 15:5

But the child that despiseth instruction is fit for the rod of reproach. But it is always to be done in a spirit of love. ALWAYS!

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:5-11

malachi

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