THINK TOGETHER.
What does discipline look like in your home?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 22:15. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Growing up my dad kept a big thick paddle on top of the fridge. I always knew that if I misbehaved I would get a spanking. I didn’t get many spankings growing up, mostly because I was kind of afraid of my dad. But one time when I did something pretty bad, I knew that as soon as dad got home I would get the paddle. But instead, when he got home and heard what I did, he took me out for a soda. We just talked about what happened. And I never repeated that misbehavior again.
But here’s the thing – If I didn’t fear the paddle, I probably wouldn’t have listened to my dad and opened up to him about what was upsetting me. If every time I was bad he just took me for sodas, I likely wouldn’t care about being good.
Good discipline, the discipline that parents use to help their children grow, requires a mix of both hurting and healing. Solomon is reminding parents not to forget the hurting part of good discipline. The rod of discipline would be like a paddle. Of course, it doesn’t have to be a paddle. It can be anything that a parent uses to make their children feel the weight of their sinful behavior. It can be anything that “hurts.” Time out. Grounding. Taking a privilege away.
But nothing that hurts too much physically so as to cause damage, and no “hurting” without then “healing.”
Why must discipline hurt? Because foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child. We are all naturally foolish. How do we get the foolishness out? Through discipline. Discipline that hurts, and discipline that heals. It must do both!
In order to deal with foolishness in us God sent Jesus to die for us. Now we are able to receive him into our hearts so that when God, or parents, or teachers discipline us, Jesus makes s`ure that it is always for our good.
Because of Jesus all our sins are ultimately paid for.
With Jesus all God’s discipline hurts but also heals us.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Mom and dad, think about how your discipline both hurts and heals. Does it do both? Explain to your children how you intend your discipline to do both.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, you paid for my sins. Help me to live from your healing each day. Amen.
TLICfamily 