June 26, 2018
Lamentations 3:27-33…“Although he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.” vss. 32-33
Those of us with parents who didn’t believe in sparing the rod may have heard them say these words, “This hurts me more than it hurts you.” Somehow hearing those words in that context failed to take away the sting or lessen the tears. While that mode of discipline has thankfully fallen into disfavor, there was logic in that parental thinking. To some extent it actually reflects the way we experience God in daily living. There are consequences for bad behavior, and sometimes there will be pain and grief. It’s even possible to attribute that grief to God. We could even say that God gives us a spanking from time to time–but not because God wants to cause us pain. Rather, the discipline comes out of a deep and a profound love, a love that will last forever. Loving parents who paddled their children weren’t trying to hurt them; and it could very well be that the experience was deeply painful for them. But they wanted their children to learn proper behavior; they wanted them to be good people. Obviously, corporal punishment is often abused and we would be wise to find others ways to provide discipline. But we should never forget that the best lessons are usually accompanied by tears.
Thought for the Day: What part has spanking played in my development?
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