Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Discipline the child

This adverb "diligently" in the proverb caught my attention today:

Proverbs 13:24 (NASB) 24 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.




We, as parents, are to discipline our child or children and we have to discipline diligently.

The New International Version puts it that the parents need to discipline the child carefully.
The New King James Version said that we have to discipline them promptly.

The AMP puts it: Proverbs 13:24 (AMP) 24 He who spares his rod [of discipline] hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.


Examining Proverbs, we must not spare the rod and spoil the child. We have to carefully and diligently discipline them while there is still hope (Prov 19:18). The writer of Proverbs even put in the following proverbs that if we discipline them using the rod, they will not die. Instead they will be rescued from certain disaster in the future. 

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


While some may not want to use the rod, or may choose to interpret 'the rod' according to your thinking, the wise writer of Proverbs calls us to be diligent to discipline so that they will not have a disaster for the future. 

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