Loving discipline is not abusive

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Loving discipline is not abusive

• Proper spanking is not violence
• Voter/Consumer Research poll of 1000 Americans
  (commissioned by the Family Research Council)
• 76 said spanking was an effective form of
  discipline in their home when they were children
• Nearly 50 of those who answered otherwise grew
  up in homes in which they were never spanked

2
Poll

• Americans perceive lack of discipline as the
  biggest problem in public education today
• Several studies show strong public support for
  corporal punishment by parents
• Wisdom of man finally catches up!

3
Proverbs

• A divinely inspired training manual for parents
  and children
• It is relevant to our day
• Parents 3000 years ago faced the same problems w.
  their children that we face
• People are people, no matter when they lived
• I Little Foxes

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Pay attention when a child

• Ignores orders
• Argues
• Back-talks
• Disobeys
• Throws fits
• These little foxes end in rebellion
• Solution Resist Beginnings
• Stop a small fire before it spreads
• 1 Sm.2-3
• God held Eli responsible

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II Proverbs And Parental Discipline

• Pro.1324
• Egyptian proverb Boys have their ears on their
  backsides they listen when they are beaten
• Parents who refuse discipline because they love
  the child are following human, not divine, wisdom
  
• Proper discipline expresses love
• Those who neglect it hate their child

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Pro.1918

• Parents who wait too late to begin discipline are
  flirting w. a hopeless condition (while there
  is hope)
• Dont wait to discipline after children are set
  in their ways
• It is sad when a ten year old gets the bluff in
  on his mother!
• The only delay that parents should allow in
  discipline period between the childs violation
  and the parents cooling off

7
Pro.2215

• A child does foolish things because he lacks
  wisdom and experience, and craves mischief
• Pro. 2313-14
• Discipline includes not only punishment, but
  instruction
• A spanking must inflict pain
• The ultimate purpose of discipline is to deliver
  the childs soul from Hades.

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Pro.2915

• Discipline offers side benefits
• Parents are in control, not frustrated
• Parents delight in their children
• Parents avoid embarrassment
• Parents shape a soul into the image of Christ
  (Hb. 12)

9
The disciplined child

• The disciplined child enjoys the security of
  learning wisdom and of knowing that his parents
  care about him
• A child left to himself describes our permissive
  generation
• An unrestrained child is like a colt that never
  learns to wear a bridle
• He does what he wants to do

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Pro.2917

• Parallelism
• First half promises rest
• Second adds delight/pleasure
• A disciplined child relieves anxiety (gives
  rest) and brings happiness to the parents
• An undisciplined child causes anxiety and grief

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III Proverbs And Childrens Obedience

• Pro.18
• The book of Proverbs came not merely from the
  experience of old age, but as a special gift from
  God, v. 7 311-12)
• Son in these contexts does not exclude
  daughters
• OT parents stoned rebellious children
• If this law were in effect today . . .

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Pro.131

• The wise child eventually sees that discipline is
  an act of love, not a trick of cruel parents.
  Hb.1211
• A scoffer is a mocker, the worst kind of fool
• Parallelism
• First part instruction
• Second part rebuke
• Stronger word shows he does not respond to
  instruction on any level

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The characteristics (131)

• The young mocker is the opposite of the wise
  son in the first part
• Rebuke no respect for authority. This
  attitudes causes every other problem
• Scoffer reviles worship of God. A child who
  dishonors parents will dishonor God!
• Does not listen unteachable (thinks he knows it
  all)

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Pro. 155

• The road to wisdom is not in the childs limited
  experience, but in his parents instruction
• Pro. 2322
• Listen (Mt.175)
• Do not despise (Mt.624)

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Pro. 287

• Pro. 3011-14
• There is a generation
• Heading the list those who do not respect
  parents
• These parents were afraid that corporal
  punishment would damage their friendship w. their
  children!

16
Pro. 3011

• To curse parents includes defaming or showing
  disrespect in general
• Ex.2117
• To bless means to honor, respect (Pro.2020)

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Pro. 3017

• The eye most clearly reveals inner feelings
• A look of scorn speaks volumes

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Discipline must be consistent in four ways

• Personal. Hypocritical parents do untold damage
  
• Parental. Make a rule a day for next 10 years,
  but dont enforce most??
• Partner If parents are not consistently united
  in discipline, they will fail
• Persistent you must outlast them
• Do not let begging, whining, or screaming wear
  you down