Child Discipline

A popular belief today is that people are basically good. An extension of this belief is that children come into the world as morally pure and pristine creatures who are then “socialized” into harmful, hurtful patterns by parents and society.

The Book of Proverbs, along with the rest of the Bible, presents a very different picture of children and childrearing. Although children are seen as a blessing, they tend toward evil if left to their own nature (Proverbs 22:15). For that reason, parents are urged to discipline their youngsters. Neglecting to do so amounts to condemning a child to death (Proverbs 19:18).

Opinions vary as to the best way to discipline children. But disagreements about means must never lose sight of what Proverbs says are the ends involved—to bring a child into adulthood with strong character and the ability to make wise choices (Proverbs 29:15). Whatever the term “rod” means to you as a parent, Proverbs encourages you to use discipline in raising your children (Proverbs 23:13).

Several principles of discipline are found in Proverbs:

• A child needs far more than discipline. In fact, discipline is only one part of a much broader home environment required to set a child on the path toward wisdom, self-appreciation, understanding, and humility (Proverbs 2:1-22; 4:3-9; 15:31-33).
• Punishment for wrongdoing is not only corrective but preventive in that it can steer a young person away from more powerful forms of evil and ultimate destruction (Proverbs 5:12-14; 23:14).
• Correction demonstrates love, whereas lack of it is a form of hate (Proverbs 13:24).
• Discipline is intended to purge children of the inherent “foolishness” that the Bible says they have (Proverbs 22:15).

Courtesy of Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.