{"id":14538,"date":"2026-09-15T07:47:47","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T11:47:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/?post_type=oyb&#038;p=14538"},"modified":"2026-09-15T07:47:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T11:47:47","slug":"love-does-not-withhold-discipline","status":"publish","type":"oyb","link":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/oyb\/love-does-not-withhold-discipline","title":{"rendered":"LOVE DOES NOT WITHHOLD DISCIPLINE"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDo not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol\u201d (Proverbs 23:13\u201314 ESV).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Solomon taught his son that loving parents must not confuse withholding correction with showing love. The \u201crod\u201d pictured deliberate, measured discipline intended to turn a child away from destructive folly. The temporary discomfort of correction was meant to prevent the far greater pain that unchecked foolishness could bring. Biblical discipline was therefore not primarily about punishment, but rescue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet Scripture also placed limits around parental authority. Paul later instructed fathers not to provoke their children to anger, but to bring them up \u201cin the discipline and instruction of the Lord\u201d (Eph. 6:4). Proverbs rejected permissiveness, while Ephesians rejected harshness. Discipline was never to be administered in rage, humiliation, or retaliation. It was to be purposeful, loving, and aimed at wisdom. The very next verse reveals the goal: \u201cMy son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad\u201d (Prov. 23:15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ultimately, this points us to our heavenly Father. Hebrews says, \u201cthe Lord disciplines the one he loves\u201d (Heb. 12:6). God does not discipline His children to make them pay for their sins. Christ already bore that punishment at the cross. Instead, our Father disciplines us in love, shaping us toward holiness. The rod may restrain folly, but only the cross can redeem the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We must resist both permissiveness and severity. Whether parenting children or responding to our heavenly Father\u2019s correction, let us remember that true love does not ignore destructive behavior. We can discipline our children with self-control, instruction, prayer, and restored fellowship, always pointing them beyond mere outward obedience to their need for Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And when God corrects us, we must not interpret His discipline as rejection. Because Jesus bore our condemnation, the Father\u2019s correction is evidence that He loves us as His children. Love and discipline belong together. Therefore, let us receive and administer discipline with grace, wisdom, and restraint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PRAYER<\/strong>: Dear Father, give us wisdom to discipline our children with love and truth. Keep us from permissiveness on one side and harshness on the other. Help us receive Your correction with humble hearts, knowing that Christ has already borne our condemnation. Shape us and our children into the likeness of Your Son. In Jesus\u2019 name, amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cDo not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol\u201d (Proverbs 23:13\u201314 ESV). Solomon taught his son that loving parents must not confuse withholding correction with showing love. The \u201crod\u201d pictured deliberate, measured [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"audio":"https:\/\/garycombsorg.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Sep-15-2026-at-7_41_58AM-esv2-50p-bg-10p-music-10p.mp3"},"categories":[],"tags":[],"scripture-book":[1287],"scripture-chapter":[1356],"oyb_day":[1785],"class_list":["post-14538","oyb","type-oyb","status-publish","hentry","scripture-book-proverbs","scripture-chapter-1356","oyb_day-september-15"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb\/14538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oyb"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14538"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-book","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-book?post=14538"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-chapter","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-chapter?post=14538"},{"taxonomy":"oyb_day","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oyb_day?post=14538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}