Friday, August 29, 2008
2 Timothy 3:15 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for . . . correcting.
USE SCRIPTURE TO CORRECT YOUR CHILDREN
It's interesting -- and instructive -- to notice how often Jesus used the Word for purposes of correcting during His ministry. Recall the story of the disciples arguing on the road, disputing over who was greatest. Jesus took a child and had him stand beside Him, and said: "Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For he who is least among you all -- He is the greatest" (Luke 9:46-48). In this way the Savior corrected their misguided thinking (uncovering their sin of pride and fostering in them a humble spirit). On another occasion when Peter said: "Jesus, You shouldn't go to Jerusalem. Far be it from You that You should die!" He sternly rebuked Peter: "Get behind me, Satan! You don't have in mind the things of God, but the things of men," (Matthew 16:22-23) thus helping Peter to a better understanding of His Savior-mission. The story of Jesus in the home Martha and Mary also comes to mind. When Martha was overly concerned about cooking dinner and didn't understand the importance of letting Jesus serve up a meal for her soul through His Word, He said: "You're troubled about many things, My dear Martha. But one thing's needful and your sister has chosen that good part which I won't take from her" (Luke 10:41). So we see how Jesus frequently used His Word for this beneficial purpose of correcting, for the spiritual and eternal good of His own.
Even so, He encourages us to correct our children in love when needed. When sins of contentiousness, pride, or misplaced priorities crop up, for example, we're to use His Word to help them to a better understanding of God's good and gracious will. We're to help them understand that when parents use the Word to correct their children (though it isn't pleasant when it involves consequences), it's evidence of the parents' love and their desire that the child enjoy a happy future here and hereafter. As the writer of Hebrews wrote: "The Lord disciplines those He loves and punishes everyone He accepts as a son . . . No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (12:6, 11).
