Proverbs 13:23-24 

²³An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away. ²⁴Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

Reunion

Somewhere in Asia, reunion has become trendy. Clans and relatives gather in fellowship with other relatives. A family hosts the reunion and another family will host next reunion in the following year. At a reunion, they talk about anything: good old days, politics, sports, hobbies, career, business or parenting.

An elementary teacher had problematic children, and curiously she asked, “What is your parenting secret? Your children are very responsible.” Interestingly, the teacher asked parenting advice from a mother who had no college education but has children who turned out responsible professionals. What do you think?

Parenting principles can be learned but to expect the same success from different individuals is not realistic. Why? Each child is unique. Parenting style is unique for each child also. But we can learn from biblical parenting principles.
Together, let us meditatively reflect on what Deuteronomy 6:5-7 declares.

⁵Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Many parents tried to impress and teach their children the commandments of the Lord, and what happen? Parents are frustrated when children ignore them. And so, parents stop teaching their children the commandments of the Lord. Well parents, before we impress to children the commands of the Lord, we need to personally realize what we should do. What should we do first and foremost?

What is required before children can learn from parents? Love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength. We pray that children will be impressed by our love for the Lord, even if it is not guaranteed. Why? It’s godly command also to impress to our children the commands of God. So, we need inspiration of the Lord to obey him, and results depend on him. We do our part to obey God, and pray that our effort won’t be wasted or swept away.

1.  Sweep

 ²³An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away.

An unplowed field produces food for the poor, how is that? How about the rich? Does it imply that the rich cultivates his field for continual sustenance? Is it greedy to prepare or is it wise to consider the future? Most often, it is assumed that the poor are satisfied with what they have while the rich are greedy for more.

You may have heard it said that the law of the land favors the rich, why? The rich can hire the best lawyer available, while the poor cannot. Is that why we observe several injustices against the poor anywhere around the globe?

What can we do? Spiritually, we cultivate our faith in Christ through prayer. We pray for inspiration of the Holy Spirit; pray for skill to be productive, especially for things that we cannot control, impossible things, if you accept that. Together, let us reflect on the prophetic prayer of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:7-8.

⁷The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. ⁸He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.

Hannah was the mother of Prophet Samuel. Formerly, she was barren. Hannah had no children. So, she prayed that God gave her a son, and she also promised that her son will serve the Lord all the days of his life. God granted her a son—Prophet Samuel, who became leader of Israel from youth until he died at good old age. In comparison, the priest Eli had sons who were wicked; they abused their authority as priests, and God did not allow them to live long life.

The Lord decreed against Eli and his descendant in 1 Samuel 2:30-31.

³⁰Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. ³¹The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age.

Truly, Eli the Priest was the last who died at old age, but his descendants died before the prime of their life. This tragic story about the decree of God against the descendants of the Priest Eli was recorded as warning for us to do our part and carefully discipline our children. God won’t spare the wicked.

2.  Spare

²⁴Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

How do you personally interpret this biblical passage that whoever spares the rod hates their children? It also added that the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. Does it biblically recommend that to discipline children, we can use the rod? How should parents carefully discipline children with love?

The rod symbolizes painful punishment; but should parents literally use the rod to discipline their children? Biblically, discipline of children is rooted from parental love. Parents who love their children are careful to discipline their children. Originally, discipline is biblically related to diligence or carefulness.

Interestingly, diligence is most defined by early care with earnestness. Therefore, to discipline children earnestly with care and love, parents must train young children before they grow wild and naughty to avoid painful punishment.

In our generation, legislators made laws that seem to favor children. Did those legislators hate being disciplined by the use of rod? Or, are they concerned about abusive parents? Do laws against child abuse suppress parenting? What do you know about laws of the land regarding disciplinary process for children?

Guilty not Guilty

A father spanked his 6-year-old child. The child was screaming and woke up her brother, the father told her to stop screaming or he would spank her. The child proceeded to scream and the father spanked her bottom two or three times. What is your verdict? Guilty or Not guilty? Accordingly, the Court found the spanking to be reasonable corrective force. So, the verdict is “not guilty!”

Another father spanked his 6-year-old child. The child kicked his brother’s toy. In response, the father pulled down the child’s pants and spanked him 2 or 3 times. Two days later the child had red marks of a hand imprint on his body. The Court found the spanking was not done as a correction but out of anger and frustration and determined the father could have taken other steps to correct the child’s behavior before resorting to spanking. Additionally, the Court held the force was not trifling or transitory and was meant to humiliate and harm the child. So, the father was found guilty of assault for his child.

The father in the first situation told his child to stop and warned her that he will spank her if she didn’t stop screaming. In comparison to the second situation, the spanking of the father was without warning; it was spontaneous response.

Parenting is not instinctive responsibility. To carefully discipline children in their early childhood can be learned and practiced. Parents-children relationship should not stop; parenting won’t end as long as parents and children are alive.

What do you think? How do you interpret James 4:17, ¹⁷If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

Some children may demand boundaries, but parents who love their children should continue to pray for the welfare of their children.

Parenting can be frustrating, why? It is godly responsibility to discipline children carefully. Parents practically learn from parental experiences about how our heavenly has patience of taking care of billions of naughty Christian children.

But parenting is also opportunity to store up treasures in heaven when we do it carefully. How about children’s response to discipline? Certainly, the Lord will bless children who respect their parents because they obey the command of the Lord to respect parents. May God bless us to obey him faithfully, Amen!

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