The Rod Of Discipline

In my previous blog I wrote about the value and importance of discipline (yacar -Hebr.). The Old Testament is filled with references to the LORD disciplining His people and thus treating them as His children.

And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, - Lev 26:18 ESV 

Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. - Deut 4:36 ESV 

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, - 2Sa 7:14 ESV 

O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! - Psa 38:1 ESV 

When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin, you consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah - Psa 39:11 ESV

The idea of the LORD disciplining His children in love carries forward into the New Testament

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. - Hebrews 12:5-10 ESV

The Hebrews writer quotes from the Book of Proverbs:

My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. - Prov 3:11-12 ESV 

Following the example of our LORD, Christian parents recognize the critical importance of discipline for our children. This will always involve our helping them to face up to their sins. This may indeed mean they suffer pain and loss for a time, as the writer to the Hebrews says,

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. - Hebrews 12:4 ESV

Such discipline may well involve the rod of discipline (Prov. 22:15), but if it is applied, Christ's love must ever guide us, not anger, frustration or disgust. If any of us approaches the task of discipline in that manner, we ourselves are  in need of discipline. Our task is to discipline for the good of our children and then to forgive them as we ourselves are forgiven in Jesus.

Need more be said? The media is filled with many stories of children and youth driven to hurt, kill and destroy. Where was the discipline?