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NASB | Proverbs 13:24 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Proverbs 13:24 He who withholds the rod [of discipline] hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines and trains him diligently and appropriately [with wisdom and love]. [Prov 19:18; 22:15; 23:13; 29:15, 17; Eph 6:4] |
Subject: Spare the rod, spoil the child |
Bible Note: Dear MJH, You wrote, "It is incorrect to read Proverbs as commands. To do so is to fail to understand the genre." The author of Hebrews quoted Proverbs 3:11 in Hebrews 12:5, apparently using it as a command of exhortation. There are many other Proverbs that certainly echo the commands of Scripture (e.g., Proverbs 6:17; 6:32; 21:26). I agree that the genre is unique, but I'd question an assertion that would steer a believer away from submitting to the principles as something other than maxims for Godly living. Perhaps you meant something other than what you wrote? :-) On the topic at hand -- my two cents: Pain is a wonderful corrective tool and aid to memory. However, as parents, our purpose in discipline is to bring about repentance for rebellion to the commands of Scripture. That can, at times, be accomplished without resort to corporal punishment. It depends on the child and how readily they have learned to respond to the dictates of conscience. They say, "Justice is blind." I found, however, that in the area of discipline, living first by example, we must be fully cognizant of the ultimate goal, the character of the individual child, and the nature of sin; always lovingly prepared with a full repertoire of means. Fortunately, we have a sovereign Father who gives us lots of examples. In Him, Doc |