There are always people trying to bring child raising under the umbrella of the socialist state.
David was a lousy dad. He may have been a great king, warrior, statesman, leader, harpist and author, but he was very bad at parenting. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Amnon was a rapist, Absalom a murderer, Adonijah was guilty of treason. David’s family was a train wreck of monumental proportions. Why was this so?
“And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.” (1 Kings 1:6)
It seems David never, ever corrected his sons, verbally or otherwise. (Notice also that Adonijah and Absalom both had the same mother, Haggith. This tells us a lot about the rebellious influence of the mother, but maybe we’ll save this thought for another time.) The question remains, why do children need to be corrected? God has given us the answer, clearly and distinctly; they are born wicked and foolish.
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” (Proverbs 22:15)
There has been some discussion over recent days about parents’ rights to spank their own children. There are always people trying to bring child raising under the umbrella of the socialist state. This is wrong. What does God say about child raising?
“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” (Proverbs 23:13,14)
I think Solomon may have had his half brothers in mind when he penned the following:
“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” (Proverbs 29:15)
What is it with modern Australia? Parents have children, and at six weeks of age they are put into childcare for the entire working week, for someone else to raise! What madness! Why have kids in the first place if you don’t want to raise them? The great joy of parenthood is raising your children, seeing them grow day by day, nurturing their development, teaching them all about life. You can’t enjoy this if someone else has taken your place.
Kids need security, and security comes through boundaries. Children are inherently foolish and cannot establish these boundaries themselves. Setting boundaries for life includes loving correction, usually verbally but sometimes with the rod. This job is the sole responsibility of father and mother, not the school, the church or the government.
Someone says, “What about child abuse?” Child abuse is a crime, and should be treated as such. Hitting a child anywhere on the face, or striking a child in anger, is child abuse. (Allowing children to drink alcohol is also child abuse, as is letting them watch degrading, perverted TV shows and movies, and giving them uncontrolled access to the internet. There are many forms of child abuse.) Using the rod sparingly, is not child abuse. It is a God approved, common sense, time honoured and practically proven way of correcting your child.
To those politicians and “academics” trying to force their anti-God philosophies upon us; your advice is not needed. Better still, read the Bible. It contains the truth you desperately need.
FRESH BREAD DAILY 