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THE NORTHERN KENTUCKY SEARCHER VOLUME 3, NUMBER 15, MAY 11, 2003 “SPARE THE ROD?” Some time ago a national organization of concerned pediatricians released a study in which they strongly urged parents to refrain from spanking their children. The study defined spanking in a very limited sense. It was limited to between the ages of 2 and 6, with an open hand on the buttocks, never administered when angry. These doctors were concerned about spanking escalating into a more severe form of corporeal punishment, even into child abuse. They also expressed concern about the emotional damage they believed spanking can do to a child. In the place of spanking they advocated various alternative forms of discipline that did not involve striking the child in any way. No one in their right mind advocates any kind of punishment that injures the child, either physically or emotionally. No one advocates child abuse of any kind and the strongest legal action should be taken against any adult who would do such a thing. However, I deny that spanking constitutes child abuse, especially as defined by that committee. Further, I believe that the bible is clear that failure to so discipline a child when that kind of discipline is needed does a great deal more damage to the child in the long run than a couple of swats on the bottom. There are a lot of “experts” today telling us how to rear our children, but none of them have the right or the wisdom to tell us what is best when what they are telling us contradicts the wisdom of the Creator. The Bible is adamant about the responsibility of parents to discipline their children. Discipline means training, teaching. Proverbs 22:6, tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” It includes, but is not limited to, physical punishment when such is called for. The training of a child begins in infancy as the parents respond to the child’s needs, and give the little person the attention, love and care that he or she requires. Very early the child is taught the meaning of “No”. I don’t know of any parent who teaches “NO” for the fun of it. Every parent I know teaches their children the meaning of “NO” for the good of the children. Obviously, any kind of teaching and training must be suited to the age of the child. In the normal progression of things the child will eventually begin to test the limits, to see just how far they can go and how much they can do before mom and dad react in a negative way. Sometimes spanking is called for and a legitimate question to ask is “Who says so?” I am no more an authority on this subject than any other parent who has raised two children. I did not major in child psychology in college. So, “Who says so?” The answer to that question is God. In Proverbs 13:24, we read, “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” In Proverbs 22:15, Solomon wrote, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child: but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Are these passages calling for severe beatings to take place in the home? Absolutely not! What they are saying is that there are times when physical punishment, spanking if you will, is called for. Are these things to be done for the joy of punishment? No! They are to be done for the good of the child. Proverbs 29:17, says, “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest: yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” Truly, the child who has been well trained is a confident, strong and agreeable kind of person. A child who has never been taught the meaning of “No” in terms he or she can understand is headed for problems, both in this world and in the one to come. Greg Litmer WHAT WOULD YOU CALL…A student who did not bother to study Before the final exam because “any answer Will do as long as
I am sincere? FLUNKED! A businessman who risked his life savings On a plan chosen at random; after all, “one Investment is as
good as another”? BROKE! A woman who refused to check whether She left her iron on because “on” or “off” Are just
“matters of interpretation” anyway? HOMELESS! A professional running back who Consistently refused to play within the field’s Boundaries because “football is an act of joy, Not a game of
rules”? UNEMPLOYED! A person who stakes the destiny of his Soul on such ideas as: “It does not matter What you believe as long as you are Sincere”, or “I have the right to my own Interpretation”, or “One church is as good As another”? SAVED???? Why is the most important and precious possession we have (the soul), treated with the most carelessness and least logic?
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