#6) A godly mother disciplines her children in
love. A worldly mother spoils her children.
Proverbs 13:24 says:
“He who spares
the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”
The world tells us those who hate their children spank them but that’s not what God says. God says if you love them you will spank them.
This was one of Scott and I’s first disagreements. I had just gotten my degree in psychology and I decided spanking was bad. Scott said: “We aren’t going to spank our children because it’s what we want to do or because the world says it is a good form of punishment. We will spank because God tells us to do it and He said if we don’t we hate our children. He knows best.” That was a memorable moment.
I don’t discipline my children because I want to. I am NOT a disciplinarian by nature. I am a passive parent by nature. But I know passivity in parenting is not God’s best and so with my husband and God’s help I work at disciplining my children consistently and in love.
(We are in a "spanking season" right now with four kids five and under :)
I do find though that I rarely spank my four and five year old. Probably because they know if they disobey they will get spanked. Which brings me to another point, don't make empty threats! Be consistent! That is so important. I find sometimes on days when I am in a bad mood that I will spank more... how horrible!! I should spank consistently and in love. Not because I am in a bad mood.
Discpline your children consistently, in love, because you love them and you wants God's best for them.
p.s. never spank a child for being a child (spills/accidents). Spank a child for disobedience/rebellion.
Great post, Katie! I am still working on being consistent!
ReplyDeleteconsistent! yes! help us Lord! :)
ReplyDeleteDiscipline is rooted in Love & relationship - when we love God & have relationship with Him we DESIRE to obey Him - same with our kids - when they love us & have relationship wiht us they desir to obey us. We love him because He first loved us - same with kids. It starts with us.
ReplyDeleteWhat would Jesus do? Can you actually imagine Jesus spanking a child? or rather when seeing one hurt another bringing that child close to Him & showing the child how to love one another. My butt would be permanently sore if God spanked me everytime i strayed from His Word or will. Instead God guides me with that gentle prompting & conviction whilst fully allowing me to experience the natural consequences of disobeying Him (thats where as parents we must be savvy). If God physically hurt me every time i messed up I wouldnt be a Christian. there is much debate about the actual meaning of sparing the rod. The Hebrew word not only means stick but discipline or guidance. What do we think it means in psalm 23 "thy ROD & staff COMFORT me". Thank God His ways are not our ways if this is the way we interpret His Word. There is a big difference between obeying because of respect & desire to please & obeying someone thro fear of being physically hurt.Which do you want from your children?
ReplyDeleteIt comes down to obeying the bible ladies. There are too many times that God's Word instructs us to use the rod to discipline. Thanks for your thoughts. Looks like we will have to agree to disagree. God bless.
ReplyDelete