“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives’” (Hebrews 12:5-6).
Though counsel on parenting–good and bad–can be found in multitudes of volumes today, nothing compares to the divine counsel found in Proverbs. The inspired words written by Solomon around 1000 B. C. were still cogent and relevant when the book of Hebrews was written in the first century A. D.
As has been noted in prior blogs (see 2/13/24’s “The Holy Spirit Witnesses”, 12/1/23’s “The Holy Spirit Indicates”, and 7/13/23’s “The Holy Spirit Says”), the Holy Spirit guided Scriptures remain God’s continuing and constant communication of His will. The exhortation of Proverbs 3:11-12 (which is quoted in Hebrews 12:5-6) “is speaking to you” still. Its truth and relevance are timeless and unchanging. This is accurate, regardless of whether you are reading these proverbs’ wisdom and guidance a thousand years later (as the original recipients of Hebrews did) or three thousand years later (as you and I are).
In America seventy years ago, it was Dr. Benjamin Spock, not God, who told parents they should not chasten their children. Sadly, a number of parents foolishly had greater faith in a humanist than in Jehovah. God’s wise counsel never goes out of date.
Prudent parents will always hear and heed the exhortations God is speaking to them about children and their responsibilities as parents.
