The word "rod" in scripture was defined in the previous post. Please take note that God does not tell us to use our hands when we spank. He does not tell us not to use our hands, but He does tell us that "if you strike him with the rod you will deliver him from death".
No one wants to see their child die. Especially if you understand this verse - we're not talking about a body that stopped functioning. We are dealing with souls - our children's souls! We are all dead in our trespasses (Eph 2:1). The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23).
We want to see our kids alive in Christ! We certainly do not save our children - God obviously does that. We obey God in the area of spanking because His wisdom tells us that the point of spanking is to deliver a child from death.
So you need a rod. My guess is that you don't have a scepter or a random rod that you deem safe to use for spanking lying around in your home somewhere. When choosing a rod, you must be careful to find an object that will not injure your child when used under control but that will sting enough to inflict some pain.
The most common rods used by Christian parents today include:
wooden mixing spoons
plastic mixing spoons
regular-sized-glue-gun glue sticks
various homemade paddles
In most homes, it is very useful to have many rods. The bathroom is the best place for a rod (See Rules of the Rod, coming up next in this blog). Many times, though, it is more prudent to have a rod close by at all times so that disciplining your child is quick and convenient. Spanking is a responsibility given to parents. Wouldn't it be difficult to obey God in this area if you only owned one "rod" in the midst of all of your stuff in your home?
Here's the small analysis of "rods" I've received:
wooden spoons are great but they break more easily than plastic spoons (note: it is a wearing out of the spoon, not the child's rear, that causes the breaking)
mixing spoons can be tricky because they are all different lengths. If you are using a variety of lengths, you will probably need to do a pain test on yourself before each spanking. Make sure you test the rod on the same area of your own hiney that you'll be aiming for on your child, but slightly harder because you're keeping your pants up. You can do this in front of your child, and I would encourage you to in order to show your child that you are not angry. If you are angry, get past that before you discipline (spank) your child. (See Rules of the Rod)
the glue sticks are great because they fit easily into a purse or diaper bag
paddles are generally used when spoons no longer inflict enough pain. This has not been a problem for us so we continue to use plastic spoons.
Also, please use discretion in storing your "rods", whatever they are. It is humiliating your child to leave a "rod" out where someone can see it and make a comment like, "I see someone got a spanking today." It is also unwise to leave something like this in plain view because of the world we live in, where spanking can be a legal issue, even when done in a biblical, loving way.
No comments:
Post a Comment