Key Verse: Verse 24 - “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."
Key Words: He that spareth his rod
Today there are an endless number of books that tell us how to raise our children and I confess to having read some of those books. But I have found that there is still only one book that is really worth the reading and that is the Bible. In the area of raising our children, God’s Word lays out for us a three-fold plan.
First of all, we are to train up our children (Proverbs 22:6). The word train means to keep on track. Some years ago my wife and I bought a train set to put around the Christmas tree during the Christmas season. That train had the hardest time staying on its track; but in order for that train to fulfill its purpose, we had to keep putting it back on its track – and so it is with our children. They are not perfect nor should we expect them to be, but as parents it is God’s plan that when they get off track, we are there to see that they do not stay off track for long. So first of all, we are to train up our children.
Secondly, we are told to instruct our children in Proverbs 4:1. The word instruct means to repeat back. When we give our children a job to do and tell them how to do it, we are to have them repeat that back to us. This does at least three things.
It lets us know they understand.
It lets our children know that we know they understand.
It prevents them from saying later when the job is not done or not done correctly, “I didn’t understand.”
So secondly, we are to give instruction.
Thirdly, we are to discipline our children according to Proverbs 13:24. The question is always raised, “Why and when should a parent spank their child?” The Word of God even has the answer for that. There is a principle of Bible study called the “first mention principle.” The first mention principle is that the first time you find a subject in God’s Word, it carries the same meaning throughout God’s Word. Well, the first time you find the word rod in the Bible is in Exodus 4:2. There the rod is used to make believers out of the Israelites. (You’ll have to read the story in Exodus 4 for yourself.) But the reason we spank is to make believers out of
children. If we tell them to do something and they do not do it, then we need to make believers of them concerning the importance of obeying parental authority.
So God has a three-fold plan for parents concerning their children.
1. Train them up for God.
2. Instruct them.
3. Discipline them (in love) as needed.
May God bless you as you raise your children.
What to do:
✞ Apply the three principles found in this devotion.
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