Scripture Reading:

Proverbs 13:24-25

Proverbs 13:24

He that spares his rod hates his son: but he that loves him chastens him betimes. 

This may be the most controversial verse in all of the book of Proverbs. Incredibly, the use of the rod is unpopular with a culture that imprisons a huge percentage of its populace. Since a man named Dr. Spock began discouraging spanking in America, lawlessness, irresponsibility, illegitimacy, and other curses have come to rest on the nation. Today, America has the largest incarceration rate in the world, but still the “experts” decry the use of the rod. Most cultures in the history of the world would no doubt find the practices of our “civilized” country silly, not to mention self-destructive.

Whereas the humanists have always tried to put the education and training of a child under the state or the “village,” the Bible assigns it primarily to the parent. The Bible never separates education from character training, as modern Christian and humanist educators like to do. This makes the education or training of a child hard to delegate to someone who cannot lovingly administer proper discipline. Four things are necessary for proper discipline of a child—a parent, a rod, the Gospel-Word of God, and a heart of love. Of course, it is possible to spank a child without love. But a parent must have a deep and abiding interest in the child’s character development and future wellbeing in this life and in eternity, if he wants to train the child effectively.

“He that loves him, chastens him early.” The word for “early” is Shaqar. This is the picture of the farmer who plants a garden of vegetables and carefully watches for weeds. Each day he paces the rows, and the instant he sees a weed poke out of the soil, he jumps on it and quickly dispatches it! Like the good farmer, a faithful parent refuses to ignore the slightest indication of rebellion or disobedience. If he were to neglect a character issue for many months and years, he would need a chain saw to remove the weed. What more conscientious person(s) could notice the slightest problem in a child’s character, but a parent
who truly cares for the future of that child? Sadly for many parents, they find it more convenient to let character problems go (or grow) year after year, or to delegate away the most important aspects of the training of a child.

Proverbs 13:25

The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want. 

The most requested song among popular radio stations over the last fifty years was entitled, “Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” The musician would scream the title lyric into the microphone over and over again, and billions of people resonated with the heart sentiment throughout the 20th century. Surely, these lyrics capture the problem with fallen man. While he perpetually hopes to gain ultimate fulfillment through sensual experiences, that “satisfaction” always eludes him. Whether this commitment to sensuality includes eating, sexuality, the consumption
of alcohol, or anything else, “the belly of the wicked shall want.”

However, the Christian is satisfied with little or more food or drink, either way. He really can “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Because he is more satisfied by the Giver than the gift, he will always eat “to the satisfying of his soul.” And, note that it is more than his belly that is satisfied. He is satisfied in his soul, because he is satisfied in God. Indeed, he can say: “In thy presence there is fulness of joy. At thy right hand, there are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

“The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul.” For a nation with plenty, this proverb offers a principle of moderation. Where the food supply is practically limitless, the sin of gluttony is startlingly common. Even nations like Brazil and Columbia have recently seen a huge increase in the incidence of obesity. But America remains the most gluttonous nation in the world with an obesity rate of 34% up from 10% a generation ago. How much is enough?

The wise direction given here answers the question simply—eat until you are not hungry. Eat to the satisfying of your soul. While you may relieve your hunger pains after consuming 1,500 calories, you may still not feel discomfort from overeating until you have reached 2,500 calories. Those who consistently eat more than what is required to relieve their hunger pains and “satisfy their souls,” fall into the trap of gluttony. They begin to seek more out of food than is biblically warranted.

Family Discussion Questions:

1. When your parents correct you many hundreds of times either through loving reminders, rebukes, or the rod, do you assume that they love you or are you thinking that they hate you? How much work does it take to raise a child?

2. How consistent are we as parents at addressing sin in the early stages? Have we let certain sins go for a long period of time? What is slothfulness in parenting? Do we need to address certain sins in our home, such as complaining, unkind and cutting words between family members, slothfulness, or disrespect of mother or father?

3. Do you habitually eat until you are full, or do you eat until you are no longer hungry? In what sort of situations might you be tempted to commit the sin of gluttony? Does the Bible allow for occasional feasting?