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| Cindy: (08/26/07) Hi Jack,
Regarding the verse, Proverbs 19:18: Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. Or the Message version: "Discipline your children while you still have a chance; indulging them destroys them."
What would you say to someone who asks, "my parents never disciplined me... so according to this verse, am I 'destroyed'" Is there hope for an adult who was never disciplined as a child?
Thank you! |
| Jack: Cindy, it is tragic that children grow up in homes without the discipline that helps us all mature. However, on the other hand, none of us received discipline from perfect parents - we all have our lacks. Peter refers to this as "the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers" (1 Peter 1:18).
Fortunately, the Lord is a perfect parent and has His own way for making up for what we missed as children. The author of Hebrews reminds us (12:10 ff): "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Your friend may always lament that his parents didn't do their part, but if he is submissive to the Lord, he'll discover that God uses a variety of means to help us mature, including experiences we would never choose for ourselves! I trust that as he grows under God's tutelage, the Lord will prepare him to be a helpful parent to his own children. Jack |
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