October 23

Oct 23 - Today from Proverbs 23 we look at verses 13 & 14
"Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death."

First we must qualify what this proverb is not: It is not license for parents to arbitrarily beat their children. To give such license would be an excuse for venting frustration, anger and rage. Discipline of a child is never meant to be an outlet for the anger of the parent, it is to be controlled by the parent as a tool of corrective measure.
Now let's examine what this proverb is. It is corrective instruction to parents who believe that a child will eventually find the right path if left to their own ways. Some parents refuse to apply proper discipline for fear that they will alienate their children, or will damage them emotionally. The Teacher reveals that just the opposite is true. Children who are allowed to 'mature' (sic) without boundaries become prideful, self-centered, and are among the first to become disrespectful of their parents.
The 'rod' is an analogy for discipline that requires anguish. For a very sensitive child, this might be no more than a corrective word. For a strong-willed child, this might be a spanking. In either case, the measure is to be controlled and corrective - administered in tough love. A child needs to learn that when they disobey, the payback is greater than their self-serving pleasure. If they continue to grow with no immediate consequences of their inappropriate behavior, they will continue to ingrain such behavior into their character right into their adulthood.
The Teacher is addressing the reluctant parent - not the over-zealous. Some parents cannot bring themselves to inflict anguish on their children for fear that it will 'kill their spirit'. The Teacher is saying that this is a great misconception. If the situation warrants, go ahead and apply the needed discipline, it will not kill the spirit of the child. In fact, properly applied discipline will keep the child from developing destructive behaviors into adulthood that will bear far more serious consequences.
Pain is a part of life. It is an indicator that we need to correct something. If we touch a hot stove, pain indicates that we need to move our hand quickly or there will be serious consequences. Pain if a gift from God, and we need to learn how to utilize this gift as much as any other. God takes no personal pleasure in disciplining us with anguishing situations. He does it because He loves us, and He wants us to 'pull away' before we suffer even more serious spiritual consequences. As you study God's Word, you will see that any time painful discipline is applied, He always follows up with grace when the lesson is learned.
Not all pain in this life is disciplinary action from God. No more than all pain in a child's life is disciplinary action from the parents. But when we are experiencing extraordinary anguish in our lives, and we have conviction in our hearts, we would be foolish not to run to our Father and confess our error and ask for His grace to repent and make it right. That's his desire. That's called 'maturing'. That's what every parent should want of their child.