Discipline your children and they will give you peace of mind

Proverbs 29:17 (NLT)

Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.

I routinely share with younger parents with children under driving age that they must do all they can to teach and discipline their children because once they start driving parents lose control of many decisions that their children make.  The Hebrew word for discipline is “yacar” (pronounced “ya-sar”) that is used 43 times in the Old Testament.  English translations of “yacar” include to chasten, instruct, correct, reprove, admonish, and discipline.  So, in context of all these various definitions, to discipline your children does not necessarily mean to spank or do anything physical to them.  The use of physical discipline with children is very controversial.  Fundamentalist Christians believe that passages in Proverbs using the word “shebet” (rod) justify the use of a stick or paddle or belt or other object to spank, even beat their children (Proverbs 23:13-14).  Other Christians do not believe that the rod in Proverbs verses like 13:24, 22:15 and 23:13 are literal commands, but rather figurative.  The rod represents correction and teaching, not beating.  The rod of discipline is the rod of guidance and caring like the rod of Psalm 23.             

I was taught that parents should only use physical discipline in cases where the child could have harmed himself and/or others (e.g. playing with matches, fire, sharp objects, poisons, etc).  Proverbs 22:15 says that “a youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it away”.  Also, parents should not physically discipline their children with their hands since our hands represent love.  That’s why the Proverbs references the use of a rod, never the use of the hands to discipline a child. 

Each parent must determine what they believe to be the best method to discipline their children, but the motives for discipline are to teach children to be responsible, unselfish, and respectful in life and to be faithful to the teachings of the Lord through His Word.  Extremes in discipline---excessive spanking/beating or ignoring discipline altogether—are absolutely unbiblical.  Yet there seems to be a trend for parents not to discipline their children at all.  This may be especially true in households—now the majority—where children are growing up with only one parent.  How many children are growing up not being taught the difference between right and wrong according to the Word of God?    

Every parent understands that there may be no better blessing in life than having children who give you peace of mind and make your heart glad.  Conversely, there may be nothing worse than having children who have grown up to be irresponsible, troublemakers, and in trouble themselves.  Frederick Douglas wrote, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men”.  The willingness to discipline your children while they are growing up goes a long way toward making the difference whether they are strong or broken.