Courageous Joy

PARENTING/DISCIPLINE IN PROVERBS - Chapter 13

13:1 "A wise son accepts his father's discipline (instruction), but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke."

~Assumes that a father is indeed instructing his son - this won't happen by accident - it must be intentional.

13:3 "The one who guards his mouth preserves his life, the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin."

~Choose my words CAREFULLY

13:13 "The one who despises the word will be in debt to it, but the one who fears the commandment will be rewarded."

~Can't really tell if this is Word as in Scripture or word as in words taught from others....but in any sense...it was a reminder to ME not to underestimate the power of the WORD in my children's life and in my parenting.

~Teach my children to respect the Word of God and the word of those in authority over them.

13:18 "Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline/instruction, but he who regards reproof will be honored."

~I must not neglect the instruction of my children - this is Godly parenting.

13:22 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous."

~Remember what we said about Proverbs being a poetic/wisdom book full of short maxims....that aren't necessarily absolute doctrine nor promises we can claim....this verse is sort of like that....I know MANY good men who have been poor and had nothing to leave to their children having grown up in 3rd world countries.....but....

~This is a good reminder that it's not all about ME. {G}

13:24 (did you think I'd shy away from this verse? Not a bit - it's the Word and I esteem the Word) "He who withholds his rod, hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently."

~The first 1/2 of this verse is most often quoted "spare the rod, spoil the child" without any reference to the rest of the verse...and modern meanings of words are used without any further study into WHAT the verse means. For further word studies on both rod and discipline click parenting and then scroll to Oct 25 - 28th. That being said...here are my thoughts...

~Since the remainder of the verse speaks of discipline (oral instruction),I take rod here to to be symbolic and not a literal branch/weapon/club. I know that some use "rod" to symbolize a wooden dowel, glue stick or striking with hand....I don't see that in my study of the word. I believe rod symbolizes authority, leadership, family connections and protection.

~So.....taking the word studies back to the verse (and feel free to read the extensive word studies I've done or do your own - these are MY convictions, they do not have to be yours - that's between you and God) I read the verse this way

"He who withholds his {leadership, protection, family connections}, hates his son {off spring - can be generic for both male and female}, but he who loves him {orally instructs him based on God and His character} diligently.