| Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; II Corinthians 6:1-13; Psalm 46:1-11; Proverbs 22:15
“Foolishness is tangled up in the heart of a youth; the rod of discipline will drive it away from him.” (Proverbs 22:15)
It takes a lot of energy to provide consistent discipline for a child, but it is the recommended method from the Word of God. We’re not talking about a random whipping but rather a steady system of correction. If you aren’t doing this then you are setting your child up for failure and yourself for a whole bunch of heartache down the road.
Our children don’t need more friends, they need parents who aren’t afraid to set boundaries and reinforcement of the rules. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not talking about beating a child. God does not imply or condone abuse. Contrary to some liberal mind-sets, there is a huge difference between abuse and discipline. Children who are raised with proper discipline, including corporal punishment, and limits typically grow up to be well-rounded, well-adjusted adults.
When deciding whether to issue physical punishment or any form of discipline, determine what the offense is and what the proper punishment should be. Never spank a child out of anger. When first hearing about or seeing an infraction give yourself a count of 10 to calm down and think about your best course of action. Give age-appropriate correction. Never forget, our goal is to raise up good adults not perfect children.
PRAYER:
Lord, I pray for Your wisdom in raising my children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and any children entrusted to my care. Help me to teach them Your expectation, also character building and values. Give me patience to realize they are children and are not going to behave or respond like adults. I love You and thank You for the opportunity You have given me to parent another individual. Help me to do a good job. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen. |
