Proverbs 13:24 (NKJV) 24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Sometimes we have to spend some time going back to the basics, even with the word of God.
This verse is an example of that. It doesn’t unlock any of the deeper mysteries of God’s word, or give us a deeper relationship with Him in the usual sense of things.
What it does, though, is to reinforce how we are to handle the raising of our children.
Far too many parents today have lost sight of the fact that firm discipline is necessary if we want our children to understand right and wrong. It also helps them to grasp the importance of obeying, respecting and honoring authority in their lives from a young age.
Firm discipline doesn’t mean being abusive or harsh. It just means that there are absolutes that are enforced, giving our children a clearer understanding of what is expected of them.
Interestingly, the very first part of the verse states that those who do not discipline their children properly, “hate them”.
In reality, this refers to the product of a home or upbringing with little or no discipline.
An undisciplined child typically ends up being an unruly child who is difficult for people to be around. This makes them less than desirable to spend time with due to their poor behavior.
Thus, the word “hate” being applied to such situations.
And one last thing that’s noteworthy in this verse is the word, “promptly”, which is actually the very last word in the scripture.
Promptly actually means “early”. So, we are to begin proper discipline of our children early, while they are still at a young age.
This is an important piece of the puzzle that many miss, for fear of damaging their child’s psyche or for fear of causing children to be afraid of their parents.
Trust God’s word. If God disciplines those whom He loves, then should we not also properly discipline our own children?
Proverbs 3:12 (NKJV) 12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
49 N Lamplighters Walk
Hampstead, NC 28443
401-439-3780
If you know someone who will enjoy this or be encouraged by it, please feel free to share it with them!
To have the Bible Verse of The Day delivered to your inbox each day, please Click Here and then enter your email address in the box near the upper left corner of the page.
Please consider making a Donation.
Get our mobile app here:
Android: http://goo.gl/oQ6qa7
Apple: http://apple.co/2lZdgYy