The Rod

"He who withholds his rod hates his son,
But he who loves him disciplines him diligently."
Prov 13:24

"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of discipline will remove it far from him."
Prov 22:15

"Do not hold back discipline from the child,
Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die.
You shall strike him with the rod
And rescue his soul from Sheol."
Prov 23:13-14

"The rod and reproof give wisdom,
But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother."
Prov 29:15

We receive a lot of criticism for our use of the rod. But Scripture has made it clear that this is the instrument used to "rescue his soul from Sheol," to impart wisdom and to drive foolishness far from our children. We do not use the rod with anger and malice, but out of love. The more consistent I am to use it, the more infrequent my anger interferes with our discipline sessions.

When Jeramy answered phones for the police department, he would often get calls from the same parents wanting the police to come and discipline their misbehaving children. One child in particular was around 8 or 10 years old! What will happen when that child becomes older? Those parents will live with the shame of a lawless, disrespectful, insubordinate adult child who may end up dead or in prison. What a disservice Christian parents show their children when they don't discipline as the Scripture mandates, as often as needed. I love my children. I spank my children.