Courageous Joy

PARENTING/DISCIPLINE IN PROVERBS - Chapter 12

12:1 "Whoever loves discipline/instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid."

Discipline means oral instruction according to my study. Instruction that is God centered and God natured.....the NASB puts the word "instruction" in their end notes with this verse....just a confirmation that my word study was going in the right direction. {g}

~*I* must be teachable, I must welcome reproof

~I must encourage my children to also have teachable spirits...this will be impossible for them to develop if they observe me being "smarter than all else" or defensive when corrected by those whom are my authorities.

~Many modern day Christians read this verse like this "Whoever loves spanking loves knowledge...." and the word simply has nothing to do with spanking. I'm not sure when we began to assign "physical punishment" for a word that means "oral instruction" but we have.

12:11 "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense (heart). "

~ tilling is work without immediate results, it's looking ahead to a reward

~Am I "tilling" with an eye to the future?

~Am I pursuing worthless things? "Worthless" things could be things that are good - but comparatively they are worthless....

12:18 "There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

~I am not alone in admitting that the tongue is one of God's greatest work projects in my life. Many women struggle with this...angry outbursts (often excused by PMS), unthinking words, harsh words, sarcastic tones, put out attitudes....are not pleasing to our Lord.

~Are my words used to defend my position or attack my child? Do I use my words as a sword in a sword fight or to bring healing to my child's heart?

12:27 "A lazy man does not roast his prey, but the precious possession of a man is diligence."

~FOLLOW THROUGH! As in the verse above I am called to have a big picture view of my children/life/goals.....

~A person who would hunt and not prepare the meal is the ultimate in lazy...but do I do that in parenting? Do I prepare my child's heart to receive teaching and then not deliver the teaching? Do I prepare the soil and give up during the tending and watering process? My precious possession is diligence....and I must remain diligent in my parenting...regardless of the length of the process, the lack of visible results or the discouragement of the day. Catch sight of God/Holy Spirit and follow Him forward!