The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. (Prov 29:15)And I found myself wondering. If a child who gets his own way "brings shame to his mother", what does it look like when a nation of children get their own way? Conversely, if we have ruled out the option of "the rod and reproof", what option do we get?
Anyone who is willing to look can see that common sense in our culture is waning. That is, it's not common. But if wisdom comes from the proper discipline and training of children and we have ruled them out, I don't know what else we should expect.
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)
5 comments:
The rod helps the child to connect consequence with action, and it speaks the universal language of reality, pain. Was God Evil when he designed into us a built in teacher that is adamant that we learn to not touch the hot stove?
Oh, sure, you say that from your archaic ways of thinking about child-rearing (read "biblical thinking"), but we here in the 21st century know much better now. Just look at kids these days ...
Yes, Danny, I have it on good authority that modern data shows that God was wrong all along.
I've heard it said that the "rod" of such verses refers to that which shepherds used to guide their flocks. They didn't beat them with it, but nudged them in the proper direction. Have you heard this explanation before?
This is not to say that there might be Biblical justification for some level of corporal punishment, or even that the "spare the rod" verses don't include that as a means of guidance toward behaviors more pleasing to God. I'm just wondering if you've ever heard this interpretation regarding the use of the word "rod" in these verses.
Yes, I've heard that before. Interestingly, the concept only surfaced after corporal punishment fell out of favor in modern culture. It looks a lot like reading back into Scripture things they want to hear rather than letting Scripture shape their views.
I have a really hard time correlating "rod is a tool for guiding" with the way it is used in Proverbs. We read, "Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die." (Prov 23:13) Why would you "strike him with a rod" if it is a guide tool and why would anyone suggest "he will not die" if it is just a guide tool? We read, "A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the back of fools." (Prov 26:3) We have a whip, a bridle, and ... a guiding tool? To be used on the back? None of this points to that concept of "rod".
More difficult, however, is what Hebrews says about God. "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives." (Heb 12:6) No rod here. A whip. It is "scourges". It isn't talking about training or guiding; it is scourging. And the text indicates it is from love.
I am absolutely convinced that 1) all of church history has understood these texts to say that we are to use corporal punishment to lovingly discipline our children, 2) that this is the only reasonable understanding of these texts, and 3) it is primarily the failure of parents who have either disciplined without love or who have refused to discipline with love that has caused the primary failure of a tool that God instituted for the benefit of our children. We are seeing the results in our society today.
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