“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline will drive it far from him”, Proverbs 22:15

Children are foolish unless we teach & train them to be otherwise. If you want to avoid having foolish children, you have to put forth some effort. Trust me, it is not easy, and you won’t get it right all the time, but God provides some guidance and authorizes you to enforce it.

Eli was a priest, but God brought judgment against his house because he refused to restrain his sons from evil (1st Samuel 2:12-17 & 3:11-14). What is the lesson for us?

Restrain your children, parents. Yes, I know, you’re told by the “experts” that you will stunt their growth and curb their creativity if you rein them in. Wrong. Teach and enforce manners. Teach and enforce respectful behavior. Teach and enforce fairness & thoughtfulness towards others. Point them firmly in the right direction. Imagine them as the arrows they are described as in Psalm 127:4; will you allow them to be shot about at random, or will you carefully aim them at specific worthwhile targets?

“He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently”, Proverbs 13:24

Wow! God says being lax in discipline is hatred towards a child. The world calls a good spanking abuse. But what would we expect the devil’s world to say? This teaching of God’s needs to be observed like all the rest. When your children challenge your authority as parents, it is time to take immediate action.

“Discipline your son while there is hope, and do not desire his death….Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol”Proverbs 19:18 & 23:13-14

You only have so much time to shape their thinking, so start early and be consistent. Isn’t it interesting that God says spanking our children won’t kill them, but refusing to do so will?

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

Godly adults are no accident. Someone showed them how. You are the parent. You are the adult and showing your children how to be Godly is your number one responsibility.