Dave and Bethlie continue their multi-part series on the book Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp.

Part 4

5. The rod defined - p. 104

1. “The rod is a parent, in faith toward God and faithfullness toward his or her children, undertaking the responsibility of careful, timely, measured, and controlled use of physical punishment to underscore the importance of obeying God, thus rescuing the child from continuing in his foolishness unto death.”
   1. It is a parental exercise
   2. 2. It is an act of faith in God and His Word
   3. It is an act of faithfulness - an expression of love and comitment
   4. It is an act of responsibility - not a parent determining to punish, but a parent determining to obey
   5. It is an act of physical punishment
      1. 1. Not venting or parental anger
         2. Not frustration
         3. Not based on a feeling of my child is bothering me
         4. It is always measured and controlled
   6. It is a rescue mission
      1. Rescues the child from continuing in foolishness
      2. To ignore your child’s rebellion against God’s authority is to ultimately brings God’s greater chastisement into their lives.

6. The Rod clarified

1. Not unbridled temper
2. Not the right to hit my child
3. Not venting or frustration
4. Not retribution
   1. Not payment but restoration
5. Not vindictive

7. The Rod objected

1. I love my child too much too spank
   1. You love yourself too much to spank them
2. I am afraid I will hurt them
   1. “Biblically-balanced discipline never physically endangers a child”
3. I am afraid it will make him rebellious and angry
   1. Proverbs 29:17 teaches the exact opposite
4. I am afraid it will teach them to hit
   1. Only if you spank in anger
5. It doesn’t work
   1. It doesn’t when you spank in anger or out-of-control
   2. It doesn’t when you are inconsistent
   3. It doesn’t when you fail to be persistent
   4. It doesn’t when you aren’t effective
6. I could be arrested for child abuse
   1. Only spank in the privacy of your home and do it right