April 2, 2013
To Spare Is to Spoil
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Proverbs 3:1-12
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Revelation 3:19
“It is a smaller thing to suffer punishment than to have deserved it.”
- Ovid
The idea and methodology of discipline that parents use to correct their children has changed a lot over the years. Now in many states it is considered criminal for a parent to spank a child. And certainly a teacher or principal in a school would never dare to even hint at such a method of disciplinary correction.
One of the more popular approaches touted by behaviorist of the day is to put little Billy or Betty in time out for a few minutes while giving them choices to make as to what they want to do.
God doesn’t seem to share the same perspective when it comes to raising His children that our modern child development specialists and child psychologists do.
God says I discipline those I love. And love is the operative word. Discipline in love will not cause excessive abuse or physical mutilation, but it will bring about compassionate concern for and a heart felt desire to see the misbehaving soul learn appropriate, healthy and safe behavior.
This is what God desires for us His children: should we desire any less for our children, whom He has given us to raise, instruct, teach and love?
No one likes discipline – but without it, where do you think we will end up?
Today’s Prayer
Father, I would very much like to live a life that would not ever require any form of disciplining from You: but I have my doubts as to whether I will succeed: so help me to accept Your discipline: respond to it quickly and may I be willing to allow it to accomplish what it needs to so that I can become a better child and more pleasing to my Father.
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