“The rod of correction imparts wisdom,But a child left to himself disgraces his mother” (Proverbs 29:15).

“The rod of correction imparts wisdom,But a child left to himself disgraces his mother” (Proverbs 29:15).

I had a father lament to me recently that his move to New Zealand has taken away his ability to physically correct his child. The NZ social services will indeed remove his child and only return him/her when they are good and ready. This leaves Christians, believing the Biblical wisdom of physically correcting a child, in a very precarious position. Apart from returning to the counties from whence they came, foreigners have no choice but to conform to the laws of NZ or suffer the consequences. My only advice to parents is to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves.In other words, learn a new set of skills to discipline your children that does not include smacking. Our Proverb is still sound advice in NZ.Remember, raising children is about preparing them to bring glory to God. As parents we model Christ in our attitudes, words, and actions. God corrects us, His children, and we have a God-given duty to correct the children He has given us. Imparting wisdom is our job.The goal is not the punishment. It is, as our Proverb suggests, that the child behaves in a manner that makes him a “joy to his mother.”It is a given that the son of our Proverb will take to the road to disgrace if ‘left to himself’—Then, don’t leave him to himself!This means nurturing your children for eternity (easy thing to say, I know). Steer them toward God at every opportunity. If you don’t spiritually nurture your children, the devil will. And guess what he has planned for them?You will find much of your child raising wisdom in the Book of Proverbs. Seek it out.John StaigerIf you have been blessed by this message, please feel free to: Like, Comment or Share it with your friends.