Proverbs 29:17

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about correcting a child:

Proverbs 29:17

Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;

He will also delight your soul.

Proverbs 29:17 (ESV)

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;

he will give delight to your heart.

Many times in Proverbs we read about how a child who forsakes God's Word will eventually follow the foolish way.  The child is repeatedly said to be a disappointment to the parents.  Parents are warned to make sure they raise their child correctly if they don't want to have pain later in life.   Here, in this proverb, we have the opposite.  We are told if we correct the child we will have comfort and our soul will be in delight.    The pain we feel when a child is disobedient to God's Word and pays the price of a fool is very tough.   The ache of the heart is beyond description.   Yet, when we correct our children (although painful) we have delight and comfort later in life.   As we study proverbs we have a "pay now or pay later" type of understanding.   Although it is painful to correct a child (more for them than us) the pain goes away as the correction is accepted.   If the pain the child feels as correction is made saves them from pain later in life.   And, later for the parent, as well.  When we correct a child they learn to fear God.  When they learn to fear God they learn to walk in the ways of God.   The ways of God will tell the child to honor their father and mother.   When the child is not corrected they don't know to follow God.   Since they don't know they won't.   If they won't follow God than they won't care for their parents and the parent will later grieve.   When we correct children we stop the cycle.