As a parent, I seem to dwell a lot on having to discipline my children...it almost feels as if it is my primary role as a mother. So many bible verses are easily quoted to support this stance:
Prov 13:24 He who spares his rod [of discipline] hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early.*
Prov19:18 Discipline your son while there is hope, but do not [indulge your angry resentments by undue chastisements and] set yourself to his ruin.*
Prov 22: 15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.*
Prov 23:13-14 Withhold not discipline from the child; for if you strike and punish him with the [reedlike] rod, he will not die. You shall whip him with the rod and deliver his life from Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead).*
Prov 29: 15, 17 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left undisciplined brings his mother to shame. Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your heart.*
As much as I'm trying to be like my heavenly Father - who chastens the child that He loves (Prov 3:11), I have to constantly remind myself that prior to all these "discipline" related verses Prov 6:20-22 says: My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you]. Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck. When you go, they [the words of your parents' God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
Then Prov 22:6 encourages us to Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Obviously, before, during & even after the need for discipline, we need to disciple our children. God gave us His word first and then disciplines us when we derail. Let's not the put the cart before the horse after all God didn't.Discipline is good - but it all starts with discipling and they both have the same root word. In the business world, it is often said that "you can't blame them if you don't train them". Exactly the same principle, we must show our children how to live not just tell them and then we are able bring them back to the right path we have shown them when necessary. I keep challenging myself when I think I should discipline my children. I ask myself : have you shown (not just told) them the right way? For instance, recently I've been insisting that our children finish their food before getting up from the table. Alas, one day (ok maybe more than once), when I was still chewing ad got up my husband pointed out that I was doing exactly the same thing I reprimand the children for doing - ouch!
Suffice it to say that now I watch myself and disciple and discpline myself then extend that to our children. God help us all to disciple and then discipline our children to His glory. God bless.
References:
* Amplified Bible
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