Proverbs 29:15

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about correcting a child:

Proverbs 29:15 (ESV)

The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

Solomon has much to say about child rearing in the book of Proverbs.   Back in the 50s and 60s the pop culture of the day had a new hero who talked much about avoiding spanking and pampering your children.   His name was Dr. Benjamin Spock.  He was a pediatrician who wrote a book on Baby and Child Care that set the world on its end.  It was published in 1946.   He postulated that we should avoid corporal punishment at all cost and care for our babies and children in a loving and caring manner, but permissive way.   His book, in the first 52 years it was printed was the second most selling book in the world.   Second only to the Bible.   Spock's permissive message was well received by the parents of the today's Baby Boomers.  The first generation raised upon Spock's philosophy became teenagers during the 1960s.   Do your remember the 60s?  Permissiveness and moral decay was rebirthed during that decade.   Solomon had told us centuries before that correction, even harsh correction, was a necessary action to assure wisdom is found in the child.   In Proverbs 22:15 he tells us that the rod drives foolishness from the heart of the child.  But, the Baby Boomer was raised on more Spock than Solomon.   The Baby Boomer parent in-turn raised their children on the Spock theory rather than the Solomon truth.    Discipline can't be left to those who sell a theory that is not only second to truth in sales, but also in results.   Plenty of mothers stand ashamed of the results of Spock's ideas.   But, the mother who fears God and raises her children with the gentle hand of the rod of correction will have honor (Proverbs 31).