Rod of Righteousness
Posted in Daily Focus on Thursday, June 26, 2014
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Do you find disciplining your homeschooler difficult? I did for several different reasons. First, I hated being the policeman and the temporary conflict it caused when teaching my children. Being esteemed as their hero with all the answers was much more fun. Second, administering fair justice for the offense wasn't always easy to determine. Many times, what appeared to be misbehavior in one child was actually caused by the deliberate aggravation by another child. Most of all, I found disciplining my children difficult because I knew my own failings to meet God's righteous standards. More often than not, I usually found myself committing a similar offense within a few days of disciplining them for the very same thing.
The Bible tells us, "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10b). Everyone has sinned and turned to his own way in one thing or another. Whether it's lies, cursing, or bitterness, we all have feet that are quick to run to evil. Christ says that even thinking about such deeds is the same as committing the acts of sin (Matthew 5:28). Therefore, we must learn to deal gently and mercifully with other believers when they sin. In Christian love, we must hold a balance of loving forgiveness and accountability that takes into account our own sinful nature.
If your patience has run thin and you find yourself disciplining your homeschooler too severely, remember God's patient forgiveness toward you. He is the One who is able to give you the wisdom you need to give your child the right training in righteousness. "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1).
Heavenly Father, help me to see the faults in me just as easily as I see them in my children. Show me how to lovingly correct their errors and teach them of Your forgiveness and unconditional love. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Comments(7 comments)
REBECCA C 06/30/2009 09:10:56
Thanks for the reminder! Because, when it comes to correcting my children or any other person who's gotten 'out of step',
I never want to forget the struggles i have in my own flesh with those old selfish-rotten weaknesses which are just a daily fight until i see 'Him ' 'Face to face' through a 'glass clearly'(1Cor.13:12)
I appreciate the admonition to remember the Key principle assets of mercy, compassion, empathy, and Love which are the most essential elements to administering true-lasting and successful discipleship!
SUSAN H 06/26/2011 04:44:35
If you ever want to know what it is that you do wrong, just watch your children. You'll see it. So have patience. Thanks for the reminder that I need to be more loving and forgiving of both my children and myself.
LISA M 06/27/2011 13:08:44
What perfect timing! The subject of discipline has been on my mind much this week. Done wrong or worse, not at all, can be detrimental to a marriage as well as to the children themselves. I recently picked up a book called, \"Don\'t make me count to three!\" I was skeptical because that kind of \"discipline\" really bothers me. The author was quick to point out that putting off consequences can really be from laziness of the parent. As unfair and inconvenient as it may seem to us to have to repeatedly get after our children, we must never forget that they are blank slates. They are what WE make of them or allow them to become. We have to get to the heart of the issue not just the behavior. That does take patience. Thank you for reminding us that God has so much patience with us.
ALYSSA H 06/30/2011 10:53:17
I for one know how easy it is to raise a fuss when my son does wrong. The thing is, I sure as heck don\'t want to hear God yell at me for my wrong-doing, so I better get my act together! LOL Thank you for the reminder. It\'s a hard job but I\'m learning to do it.
ANNA S 06/26/2012 05:48:40
Wow, very good. I need to hear things like this myself from time to time. We are teaching 5 at home. Something happens almost everyday witht hat many kids. The flustration can really make you snap to judgment and react in a bad way. This I hope will make me sit back and think about the more correct way to handle things before over doing it.
LYNN H 06/26/2012 06:04:27
This was great. I have a 17 year old that has run away and will not come home. I really needed this today. I pray when he does come home I will not over react. I am new to teenage life.
KATHY S 06/26/2012 07:38:19
Just finished yesterdays Devotional writings.
Lynn H. praying God\'s \"Guardian Angels\" around your child right now. Also praying God returns your child home to you soon. I cannot imagine your sufferings, I am so sorry. But, be encouraged, Jesus says he will never leave us nor forsake us. And I believe he is with you and your child.
I know that is easy for me to say, as I am not in your situation. My heart goes out to you.
This whole discipline thing is hard for me. I haven\'t had much cause to discipline my son. Generally, he just listens.
But I think back to when my son was little. I did not know of all his handicaps back then, but, I knew of and was treating quite a few of them. It was pointed out to me that I should be more strict by a few people, and I always argued that out.
I felt that patience, and preserverance, in our particular case was the best choice for my son. I know it says in the Bible to discipline, so I didn\'t wan\'t to disobey Jesus.
But, I felt that my son suffered enough with his own disabilities, I could not bear to be really strict. It wouldn\'t have worked in our case anyway.
However, if he was going towards a \"hot\" stove, or going to hurt himself on something, I disciplined then. I definatley taught him to listen to my direction if he was in Danger.
And, in God\'s infinite Mercy, I still got a well behaved child, through Love, patience, and a just little bit of discipline. It all turned out o.k..
I think each child is different and needs to be disciplined according to their specific needs.
Now, I\'m the first one to give let my friend know that she needs to \"nip that behavior in the behind\" (when I hear her teenage son screaming at her in rebellion while I\'m on the phone). But, I guess it depends on what your child is doing as to what action should be taken. And disciplining a 2 or 3 year old and a 12 or 13 year old is alot different.
I sure don\'t have the answers, but, I do know they say to never discipline your child in anger, or when your in anger mode.
Have a Blessed day everyone!