“Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” Prov. 23:13-14
Today’s Christian Daily Devotional
I can feel the roll of the eyes right now. So many parents are very uncomfortable with these verses. Let’s keep our minds straight here— The Bible is not endorsing brutality.
With the divorce rate at over fifty percent in the United States, it is not uncommon to see children jostled between two adults. This fact has created a trend of “jockey-ing” to be the ‘cool parent’. My personal impression of why this scripture makes so many parents uncomfortable is that nobody wants to be the ‘bad guy’. This desire for the title of ‘cool parent’ has brought discipline to a screeching halt.
This verse, when you really break it down, never mentions what is easiest for the parent. It focuses on what is best for the child. It addresses the very serious issue of what will happen to a child that remains undisciplined.
I am the oldest of five kids and have been on the unfortunate end of discipline myself. As I look back on those years, I vividly recall the pain on my mother’s face as she followed through on her promise to correct my bad behavior. I was never beaten; I was always corrected in the spirit of love. It did not matter what age I was, I knew the difference. The pain of having to discipline my behavior hurt my mother much more than it ever hurt me, and it was quite obvious.
As I grew to be an adult myself, it breaks my heart when an unruly brat command over a family and dictate how it is run. The world is quickly being controlled by children, because parents do not stand up and follow through with discipline. I can only imagine the kind of person that unfortunate undisciplined child will grow up to be. Isn’t the world chock-full of overgrown brats already? Are you tired of dealing with selfish people?
If you are a parent, you can do something about it! Obey the Bible and you will produce a child that will actually function well and benefit our slipping society. And, as a result, you are giving them a far better chance at a good future. Everybody wins when you, as a parent, sacrifice your personal need for approval to honor the generation that is taking note of it.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for my parents who loved me so much they disciplined me. I can see my mother’s tears as she painfully followed your Word, and disciplined me when I did wrong. I thank you that this unselfish act invested by my mother, brought me clarity, as I got older. It gave me an understanding of the law, a respect for elders and a reason to believe that I would reap what I sewed. Lord, I ask that you bless each parent out there that is a Believer. It is hard world to raise a child in the ways that you commend in your Word. It is unpopular to make a stand for the family according to your law. I ask that you give each parent strength and self-discipline to follow through on all the ways you are instructing their heart to discipline their children. Bless each house that has separated themselves as a house that is built on the foundation of you, THE Rock. You will create a generation of strong, character-proven citizens through each family that is honoring your will until Jesus takes them home. God bless the family unit! In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
Thank you for reading today’s daily devotional. Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan