Day 761: Spare the rod? - Proverbs 29 vs 12 - 21

12 If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked. 13 The poor man and the oppressor meet together; the Lord gives light to the eyes of both. 14 If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established for ever. 15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. 16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the righteous will look upon their downfall. 17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law. 19 By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond. 20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 21 Whoever pampers his servant from childhood will in the end find him his heir. Proverbs 29:12-21 English Standard Version

Two themes struck me in this section, the strength or weakness of a ruler, and the joy or sorrow of a parent. In a sense there’s a link because both countries and homes need wise leadership. What are some things we see in vs 12 & 14 that lead to a King being likely to have a short or long reign ?

When leaders choose to believe lies the nation will soon be full of corrupt officials. People in Government departments will be open to bribery and corruption. The rottenness starts from the top. Leaders who demand fair justice for all people in the land set the tone for integrity and stability. Verse 16 shows the outcome of leaders who follow lies. The more wrongdoers there are in the land so the more crime and corruption will abound. Can you see how the advice the writer gives to parents in vs 15 & 17 could apply to nations as well?

There will be times when a growing child needs to be strongly reprimanded for doing something they have been told is wrong. And sometimes it will need more than words to reinforce the lesson. Verse 18 shows how that can be true of servants (or employees) also. Children who are never disciplined are likely to bring despair to their parents; children who were lovingly, but firmly, corrected along the way, will bring delight.

While doing this post the news was full of a terrible tragedy in the USA - an 18 year old young man killed over a dozen primary school children. But as the story unfolded it appeared that strong discipline had been neglected as he grew up. It wasn’t just the parents who seem to have neglected discipline, the state was as much to blame. There had been numerous incidents of wrongdoing by the young man, yet the authorities seem to have 'spared the rod'. When 'lesser' crimes are not firmly dealt with by an appropriate response, those who do wrong often go on to bigger crimes.

Is there a connection between vs 20 and vs 21, and do they tie in with what the writer has been saying?

Hasty words suggest someone who doesn't think before they speak, are quick to get angry, and are likely to follow their words up with foolish actions. Very often this can be attributed to their having been spoiled and pampered all their life. Temper tantrums and selfish attitudes were overlooked. But what is the ultimate ingredient missing in a nation, or a home, that will lead to disobedience and rising crime? (vs 18)

It's when God's laws have been abandoned and replaced by people’s soft pedaling of sin. It's when there is no powerful voice in the land warning of where such sin will lead to. This is where vs 13 is important. People who are in power need to remember that they are not more important than others. Parents must remember that too as they bring up their children. We all stand before a God who is perfectly fair in His judgments. God's word should be the most important thing in our life. It’s where we find wisdom to bring up children, and to govern nations. Above all, it will lead us to Jesus, the one who is able to bring us into God's eternal kingdom of righteousness where there is no more sin and shame.