By GARY ANDREWS
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It seems today that the discipline of children has become the topic of everyone. I watched a program on television recently about how a young lady has put a video on the internet about a whipping she received from her dad. The video went all over the world and the news media picked it up as a lead story talking about child abuse.
I definitely agree that some discipline children receive is not necessary and really is child abuse and the parents or adults should be dealt with.  There are too many incidents of this child abuse and unless the law steps in these children have little chance for a good life in society.  Too many of these adults, it is hard to call them parents, treat their children as necessary evils. They bring them into this world; however they do not care about them and certainly hate the responsibility of raising them. The children get in their way of everyday, worldly living.
Then there are loving parents who discipline their children to teach them the difference between right and wrong. My parents did this for my brothers, sister, and me. When we were told to behave, to not do or to do something and we didn’t respond, we were disciplined through a scolding or a whipping. Sometimes it would be with a belt, sometimes a switch, but every time it made impact on us. I, likewise, did the same with my children. Each time I had to discipline my children, either through talking or a spanking, I talked with them and explained why I was treating them this way. After the discipline was given I talked with them again and told them it hurt me to discipline them more than it hurt them, to which they replied, no way. Now that they are married and have children of their own, they have told me they fully understand what I was saying to them.
In the case of the young lady who taped the spanking she received, I have no doubt her father probably went above and beyond good discipline. It bothers me that the media is calling this child abuse when the video shows her being spanked with a belt for her doing something wrong and illegal. They are calling in all type of professionals who clearly think this is child abuse and something should be done to the father. This incident took place several years ago and this young lady has just released it to the internet. What is the gain for her?
In Proverbs 13:24 it says: “He who spares his rode hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”
I despise child abuse and will stand up for any child being mistreated. Many times this comes from an angry parent, who should gather their senses before disciplining their children. I remember one story when a lady spent 30 days in jail because she smacked her teenage son in the mouth because he was cussing her, out loud, in the middle of a department store. Someone took offense to the smack and called the law. What would you have done as the parent or as the bystander?
I stand up for discipline when handled in the correct format. The problem with our society today is that everyone seems to know how to handle your children better than you do. I firmly believe that God allows us to have children so that we will raise them in the way that is pleasing to Him. Our worldly society has taken God out of the public arena and allowed Satan to attack us from all angles and allow the non-discipline type people to create problems when children should be chastised for doing wrong.
My wish is that all parents will consult the Word of God about disciplining their children and stay away from what the world is saying.
Prayer: Father I thank you and praise you for the children you have given Linda and I. They are truly a blessing and I give you all the glory for the lives they are leading now. It is my prayer that all parents will seek your guidance in raising and disciplining the children you have blessed them with. Amen.
(Suggested daily Bible readings: Sunday – 1 Kings 1:5-6; Monday – 1 Corinthians 4:14-21; Tuesday – 2 Corinthians 7:8-9; Wednesday – 2 Chronicles 34:1-7; Thursday – Psalm 127:3-5; Friday – Ezekiel 20:18-21; Saturday – Luke 2:41-52.)A161-11
Gary Andrews is the author of Encouraging Words: 30-days in God’s Word. To obtain a copy go to his website www.gadevotionals.com.