Spare the Rod: One Year Bible Reading for September 15

Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Isaiah 19:1-21:17
Galatians 2:1-16
Psalm 59:1-17
Proverbs 23:13-14 

Let's look at the proverb. It says these words: "Do not withhold discipline from a child: if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. Punish them with the rod and save them from death."

So that means we should beat our children with rods if we want them to be good people, right? Well, not exactly. It DOES definitely mean we should discipline our children. We have all seen the miserable meltdowns in Walmart when some entitled little brat (whom I never fault) doesn't get what he wants from the parents (whom I very much DO fault, but only so much, since they were not taught how to parent by THEIR parents, whom I also fault...) who haven't taught him that no means no. 

If these children are never disciplined, they grow up to be the woman who came into my bookstore one day and asked for help with our e-reader. I answered her questions and then said if she had more I would be at the info desk. I went to the desk and answered the ringing phone. A man on the phone started giving me a lengthy description of the problem he was having, so I listened patiently while he went on and on. The woman came to the info desk and said, "Excuse me! I wasn't done! I need more help!!" And I whispered, "Sorry, I'll have someone come help you." And I paged a coworker to info. She said, "So RUDE!" and then walked over to a table full of planners. She said, "I guess no one wants to help me. OOPS!" and picked up a planner and threw it across the store. "No one wants to help me, OOPS!" and she threw another planner. A few seconds later my coworker arrived and she said to him, "HE'S not helping me" and pointed to me, "he's just pretending to be on the phone. I need help with this reader!" She never learned not to throw tantrums.

Don't let your kids grow up to be like that woman. Discipline them. Does that mean hit them with rods? I'm not a parenting expert, and there are plenty of good books that will teach you on that subject. You probably don't need rods. You might need to spank, but many parenting experts today say even that's not necessary. But we need to discipline our children, and teach them right from wrong.

God, thanks for teaching us not to let our kids end up like rude, entitled brats.