The Seat of Education
Friday, January 26, 2024
“Rest assured, if you are a child of God, you will be no stranger to the rod. Sooner or later every bar of gold must pass through the fire.” – C.H. Spurgeon
I grew up in a day and age when parents applied the “seat of education” to their wayward or disobedient children. All it took was a swift smack on the rear end to get me or any of my siblings to sit up straight and start behaving properly. The same went for my friends and their folks.
No harm, no foul.
Even back then, I knew that my parents loved me and were disciplining me for my own good. I may not have liked it at the time, but those few spankings sure got my attention… and corrected my behavior in short order. Most importantly, the lessons that I learned have served me well throughout my life.
One of the most practical passages in the Bible is Hebrews 12:5-11. It speaks about how our Heavenly Father chastises us in the same manner that our earthly dad does: with love, restraint, and an eye to the future. After all, the writer asks, “what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”
Discipline proves relationship. Only spiritual orphans manage to avoid it… much to their eventual regret.
That is why shepherds carry two tools. A crook, by which to retrieve and rescue a wandering lamb, and a rod, which is used to guide, protect, and discipline his flock.
Praise God that he is both a loving Father and a caring Shepherd!
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NASB)
“He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” Proverbs 13:24 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
