Embrace the Within no. 37

“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].”

Proverbs 13:24 AMP

We hear this paraphrased all the time to defend folks using violence upon their children and reframing that violence as discipline. Well, rods and staffs were important tools used by Hebrew shepherds BUT they never used the rod to beat their sheep. The rod was a weapon against those that would come after their sheep. The rod was used to nudge and guide the wayward sheep away from danger. The rod was not a danger to the sheep. The rod was protection and guidance.

This is a problem of taking a piece of scripture and lopping off part of the sentence and then applying the prevailing secular wisdom to the scripture. The rest of the verse says that if you love your child you discipline them and also training your children appropriately. That means being involved in teaching them the right way. That means modeling what it means to walk correctly. That means living the wisdom of God and the love of God in your life as a guide for their lives. There is no wisdom in beating either your sheep or your children. And that is why the scripture does not say to beat, hit, or punish your child. It says to discipline your child. It says to guide your child. It says to love your child. If your only way of controlling another is through violence, then join the government. That is the language of the oppressor.

Being a parent is not a job of oppression. Being a parent is a difficult job. Being a parent isn’t for the weak of heart. Being a parent means doing what is best for your child and sacrificing yourself.

Peace to your home. Bless your being. The reign of YHWH is now. Be a blessing to YHWH and others.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyNepheshMyChoice #ChristsLifeMatters #EmbracetheWithin