Punishing your children: What is right?
Submitted by scott on 2007-12-18
Dear children; what do you hold to in life? What makes you strong? This is a generation of godlessness and indulgence. With waste and filth, the earth is being trampled on. Days pass and it is contaminated with more trash that you throw out. Instead of using a real utencil and washing it, a plastic fork always seems to do the trick. Why wash it? You're too good for that and so are your kids. It would be morally wrong to have your child perform a duty in today's rough and hostile environment. Today's people need to wake up and realize that we are only making things worse for ourselves and our children. Who said that punishing our kids with a method other than "time out" is wrong?People often wonder why the world is the way it is and by their earthly views will never understand. Tomorrow holds something better right? My friend, tomorrow will be the same as today and the day after. Look in the past for answers to life because the past will happen again tomorrow. If we research the history of man, you will find that nothing new has been done. New technology may be introduced to our culture, but we use it in conjunction with what we already do. If you were to take away everything a man has, you will see his true inner being. He commits the same sins as he would without the gadgets. We blindly continue in the steps of our fathers. Some things in life, man is not meant to understand, but by living we should learn. As they say "you learn from your mistakes", some look into their actions, evaluate and keep from repeating them while the majority of the world won't notice it, simply because they don't want to.
The bible plainly tells us that in order to correct a person, you must do whatever it takes. The life of child is more important than a bruise or whelp; it is teaching them what is right and wrong; in this case, something that deserves strict punishment. I'm not saying beat them into obedience. Or am I? When you hear stories from your Grandparents, you hear of the horrid lives they lived and how they were treated for the things they did. Have you ever realized that they are good people with morals, love and and respect? Time may have a part of it, but youth makes a boy into the man he will later become.
Lets take a look at a few verses from the book of Proverbs:
Proverbs 10:13: In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
Proverbs 13:24: He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Proverbs 22:15: Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Proverbs 23:13: Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Proverbs 23:14: Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
If your child lacks understanding, he will be corrupt. It is your job to teach him his ways even though we don't understand our own; receiving guidance from the Lord as we go. However, we must punish our kids without judging by how much you love them or how great they've done in school; scaring them into never doing the same wrong over and over again. If your child is under wise guidance, you will have no need to punish them. Each child has their own way of being punished; some need to be smacked and some need to be smacked on the wrist. It is up to them to decide which they deserve.
They are foolish as we once were (though most will always remain foolish). The ways of the world are not upon the child until they experience it. If they are to be taught anything good at all, they must be taught religiously. Inform them of what they've done to deserve the punishment they receive. In doing so, you will fulfull righteousness in them and yourself while also teaching what the lesson to be learned is.
Notice where it says "deliver his sould from hell"; are you doing it because they get under your skin? That is where abuse and pusishment can be mistrewed. Parents today are children, have the patience of a child and are quick to complain themselves. Their parents were too easy on them and as a result, they have no ideas on how to raise their own. Parents begin abusing their children due to stress, lack of patience, the fact they don't love of their own lives and hating everyone due to their deeds. This is in no way the best interest of the child and should be illegal.
There will be many that will claim this article to be contoversary to their own thoughts and beliefs, however, if you clearly read the entire message, you will understand that the words of it are completely true. It is basic common sense and every man is born with some. If everyone would take the time to search for it, it will come to them. All the answers to life are written clearly in the bible. For some, the answers are inside of them through God the father and Jesus the son. Be self-controlled and always aware. If you become lazy, your child will wonder. If you watch them, they will hate you. But they will love you for it in the end. After all, it's up to you to teach them. Keep them as far from themselves as you can before they begin to develop inner strategies that give birth to evil.