Parents who do not discipline their children early in life often find that when they discipline later, it's too late.

Part 2

Yesterday:
“Chasten thy son while there is hope,”
Beginning when my child is very young, he/she needs correction to see his/her sin, and to realize they need the Lord’s help to change and grow.

Today:
“And let not thy soul spare for his crying.”
This is an awkward phrase to interpret from the Hebrew text.  Perhaps another version can help us understand what this means.

“Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death” (Proverbs 19:18 – ESV).

“Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death” (Proverbs 19:18 – NASB).

The words of the infamous, old comedian, “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out!” is the opposite of what Solomon is saying here.  For the harsh authoritarian parent who would discipline his child to death, “if necessary, to prove a point,” this is not the answer!  There is a vast difference between being severe and being serious in dealing with our child’s sin.

Parents of young children need to realize that “correction” cannot be ignored, and it must be started early on.  Remember that we as parents are to layout truth on the table by our teaching, and we reliably model it in our lives, so that our child can see our “faith in action.”  We dare not be negligent and ignore our responsibilities.

“The father is warned that to forbear from chastising is virtually to expose the son who needs it to a far worse penalty”1 (Barnes).

Parents, we must work with our children, beginning while they are very young and continuing as long as “there is hope,” for the good of our child so that later the sheriff and judge do not have to.  Or even worse, the Lord will deal with them because we didn’t do our part when we had the opportunity.

Lord, help each of us as godly parents to be faithful to this calling you have given to us.  Help us to have the strength and endurance to discipline our child lovingly.  You have entrusted our child to us.  Teach us to love our child as you do.  We pray Lord that you will do the heart work in our child that we cannot do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

1.  Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.