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08-03-2005, 06:18 AM

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On the side, it occurred to me that, even if "the rod" is symbolic of authority, as these ladies assert in their comments, it must represent something that is practiced in reality. Otherwise, it is null and void as a symbol. For example, water baptism is a symbol of Spirit baptism. Without the reality of Spirit baptism, the symbol of water baptism is useless. Consequently, without the reality of actual use of a rod on a child, the symbolism of it as a type of authority is useless.

This is the problem with authority across the board in our culture. The Bible puts a "sword" in the hand of civil government (capitol punishment), a "rod" in the hand of parents (corporal punishment), and deliverance unto Satan for "the destruction of the flesh" in the hand of church leaders (church discipline). Liberal thinkers of our day demand the removal of these means of restraining evil and, in so doing, charge God Himself with evil Who ordained their lawful use. Is this not calling good evil and evil good?

I think I understand what she is saying here. And it makes a difference when it is coming from a punitive mindset, from consequences and pain. I wonder what she would think of the fact that the behaviourist "training" people like the Pearls advocate is really steeped in worldly psychology, namely started by Watson and people like Pavlov. (Watson (I think) was the one who said, give me a child, and I will make him anything I want him to be just by controlling his environment.) She thinks that the authority must be proved, must be meted out by the person holding the rod. Like a boss, whose symbol of authority is his position, can fire an employee for stealing. However, this argument does not hold water. We are comparing apples to oranges. The rod was the symbol of God's authority. When Moses took the rod to Pharaoh, God is the one who worked the miracles through the rod. Not Moses. And look at the plagues that were rained down on the people. Every one corresponded to one of the false gods of the people. God was not "beating" the people -- He was tearing down their gods, and showing the people that their false gods had no power. When a king held the sceptre, it was a symbol of God's authority, not the man's. It was a symbol that God had ordained this person to be in this position, and that person is trusted to carry out God's instructions. But, it all comes back to God. It seems like she is coming from a very harsh, old-Testament God (I know, that's where I came from), who only sees the "punishment" part, but cannot see further. Also, she needs something tangible, like the Israelites needed a king in I Sam. God wasn't quite enough; the people needed something they could "touch".

In shepherd's terms, the rod was held up so the sheep could see it and know where the shepherd was, and it was used to protect the sheep -- to drive away the danger. We need to hold up God's Word to our children and let it work in their hearts. That is the extent of our responsibility, as I see it. As one of those books I'm reading (I'm not sure whether it's "Families where Grace is in Place" or "Grace-Based Discipline", or whatever) so succinctly puts it, we are to prepare the soil for the seed.

Ok, I've rambled enough.

(yes -- it's one of those mornings!)

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