Everyone knows this verse but what if you can't apply it? Proverbs 13:24 "Whoever spares the rod hates their children,
but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them".
This is a verse we live by in our house. We discipline our children. For small incidents we discipline by taking things away or putting them in time out ect....For major incidents such as lying, stealing, or life safety issues we spank our kids. Our kids are not perfect but I feel it is safe to say that they are well behaved and know how to act in the majority of situations they face...
Our hands are tied right now...How do we discipline when we have to spare the rod? Is this truly going to spoil the child? If the circumstance warrants harsh discipline and you cannot act on that circumstance what do you do? I understand the reasoning behind the rule, but it is killing me knowing that I can't straighten out a situation a certain way when it is warranted....After studying this verse for a while I found out what the meaning is. Verse 24 means this. When a child is in his infancy, before vicious habits are contracted, or he is accustomed to sinning, and hardened in it; or as soon as a crime is perpetrated, before it is forgot or repeated: or every morning, that is, continually, as often as it is necessary, or as faults are committed is when you should for lack of better terms "spank their booty's".
It makes sense really...Teach them young what is right and wrong so that later in life they will be conditioned to know the difference...
But what if they are older and you have to spare the rod? Can you reverse this? I guess we will find out..
When I was in 10th grade I got a little cocky...I thought I was a lot better at everything than I really was and let everyone know about it. It took a good friend on the track at West Mesquite High School to straighten me out..We were stretching and he looked up at me and told me to shut up! I was stunned, but he explained that if I would keep my mouth shut about myself I would have more friends ect...It was a lesson that really hit home and I have tried to remember it since...Well this is for someone I know. Just do it...don't tell me about it, just do it...I like the way the old SMU coach put it when he said "don't tell me about the labor, just show me the baby". My life verse about being humble (something I need to work on constantly) is 2 Cor 11:30 and it states "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness". If this is the case, I could boast all day and night.....
To be continued.....
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