Daily Devotional

Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in the Bible.

 The Wisdom of God

Verses for the Day:

Proverbs 22:15-16 (KJV):
15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Proverbs 22:15-16 (AMP):
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor to get gain for himself and he who gives to the rich--both will surely come to want.

Thoughts for the Day:

These verses in Proverbs deal with the discipline of children, and also gives us instructions not to oppress the poor, nor pander to the wealthy. In verse 15 we are told that all children have foolishness in their hearts.  The Bible definition of a fool means one who is a rebel. This verse is saying that all children have rebellion in them and when it surfaces, it is our duty as parents to drive it out of them.  We are to do this by punishing them with a whack on the buttocks with a small reed-like rod. This rod could be a switch from a fruit tree branch or a willow tree branch or a small wooden spoon. It is not to be a large heavy rod or anything that would cause permanent physical damage.  The purpose of a spanking is not to cause any lasting bodily harm, but to cause spiritual correction. A spanking should be swift and cause short lived pain that makes a point.  That point is that the small pain they feel now will prevent them from feeling great pain by the act they are committing, which could cause them the loss of their lives in some cases. (For instance, if a child tries to run across the street, he or she could be run over and killed.)

Children who are not properly disciplined are among the most miserable of children. Unruly and spoiled children are not the blessings that the Bible says they should be to parents. When a child is given no boundaries, he or she feels lost. Children must have boundaries that are consistently maintained. If they are not maintained, it causes great harm to a child, as they will not only be in dangerous territory, but they will also lose respect for authority. This is where we find so many of the children and youth of today. They are rebels, who not only disrespect authority, but openly defy all authority figures, such as teachers, policemen, clergy, and their own parents. The blame rests upon the parents of these children for not consistently disciplining them, as Proverbs teaches.

Proverbs 23:13-14: "Withold not discipline from the child, for if you strike and punish him with the (reed-like) rod, he will not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Some people say that all spanking is child abuse, but this is not true according to the Bible. The real abuse to the child is not to spank them when they need correction.  Of course, some parents who themselves are out of control, can abuse their children by beating them in angry rages. This is child abuse. However, abuse does not justify doing away with spanking children, if it is done properly, and for the right reasons. Parents who beat their children need help themselves. They are sinful people who will not only abuse their children by beating them, but may hurt them in other ways as well. Many times, these same children are left to go hungry and uncared for. They have no love. These kinds of homes need the love of Christ so that the whole family can be healed. We are not to spank our children with uncontrolled anger, and thus hand out unjust punishment.

Proverbs 19:18 (AMP):                                                                                                                                             Discipline your son while there is hope, but do not (indulge your angry resentments by undue chastisements and) set yourself to his ruin.

Proverbs 22:6:                                                                                                                                                   Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Godly discipline will keep children from being dysfunctional later in life. We are told as Christian parents to train our children in the ways of the Lord and when they grow up, they will not depart from that training.  Notice it says "train," not "teach." Many parents teach their children right from wrong, but have failed to "train" them to obey.  Spanking is part of the training.  Many parents yell and threaten their children, but never follow through with the proper punishment and therefore their children get their own way. A disciplined child will bring great delight to parents, while the child left alone will bring shame to the home.

Verse 16 in today's study deals with another subject, that is our treatment of the poor, and our attitude toward the rich, and how it will affect us. The Bible tells us that if we take advantage of the poor and use them for our own advantage to make money, we ourselves, will end up poor. It also tells us that if we give gifts to the rich to gain an advantage or favor from them, that will also bring us to want.  It is fine to give a wealthy person a gift, if it is given with the proper motives, and not with a manipulative reason.  God looks at our hearts and motives and if they are impure, we will reap what we sow toward others.  According to this scripture, when we take advantage of the poor and manipulate the rich, we will come to want.

Prayer for the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father, I am thankful for my children and grandchildren. They are a blessing to me. I know that I have failed many times over the years in the department of parenting, but I do thank You that You are merciful and have been there to help me as a parent.  Grant me continued patience, wisdom and love in the ongoing relationships with my children and grandchildren. May I be the kind of mother and grandmother that the generations after me will remember as a good and godly woman. Purify my heart so that I never would take advantage of the poor or pander to the rich.  May I always have the assurance that You are my source and You will always take care of me and my offspring.  In the blessed name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.