Discipline

Do not withhold discipline from a child;if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.Punish him with the rodand save his soul from death.

Proverbs 23:13-14 (NIV)

Clearly this proverb is saying that punishment is sometimes very necessary. But this definitely is not endorsing striking a child out of anger or frustration. This is always wrong. Proverbs 27:4 cautions us that “anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood.”

Mothers, we need to make sure that when we give punishment to our children, we do it in love. But love that gives no punishment is not really love either. Sometimes a child gets locked into a behavior that, left uncorrected, could ruin their life. Picture this. When someone takes hold of a live electric wire, the voltage grabs hold of them, and they cannot let go until they die from the deadly result. The only thing that can be done is to strike them with a wooden plank at the point of contact—not to hurt them but to free them.

Years ago, our seventeen-year-old niece lived with us. She had not been used to consistent rules at home, so we had some challenges. She sometimes chafed at simple things like curfew and chores and limits regarding boys. But one night she told me about a friend at school. Our niece had been complaining to her about how tough it was to live with restrictions. Her friend started to cry. She said, “Oh, how I wish someone at home cared enough about me to just say no sometimes.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

There are many ways to discipline a child, including time-outs and removal of privileges. Focus on the Family describes two more:

• Natural consequences. For example, if your child refuses to eat dinner, instead of developing a power struggle, allow him or her to go to bed without eating. He or she will naturally be hungry in the morning and will be certain to eat. (Appropriate for children two and older.)
• Logical consequences. This is a punishment that fits the crime. Suppose your child throws a ball in the house and breaks a vase. He or she could be required to work off the value of the vase or use allowance money to buy a new one.

One Year Bible Reading

Isaiah 19:1–21:17; Galatians 2:1-16; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 23:13-14