“Spare the Rod,
and Spoil the Child”
David
McCain
One of the
hottest topics of discussion awhile back was the punishment of Michael Fay, an
18 year old American citizen living in Singapore at the time. Fay was charged
with 53 counts of vandalism and other offenses under Singapore law. In a plea
bargain agreement, he plead guilty to 2 counts of vandalism, 2 counts of
mischief, and 1 count of retaining stolen property. Under Singapore’s stringent
judicial system, young Fay was sentenced to a three part punishment for his
crimes, the first two parts of which included four months in prison, and a
$2,200 fine. But, it was the third part of his punishment that had the whole
country talking about Michael Fay. That third part, which turned that affair
into a media event, was the six lashes with a rattan cane, which Fay received on
his backside at the end of his prison term.
The caning of Michael Fay was a headline story for “Newsweek” magazine, which
devoted six pages to the “hot batton issue” of crime and punishment in the
U.S.A. According to a “Newsweek” poll, 38% of Americans approved of Fay’s
punishment, while 52% were opposed to it. Other interesting data reported by
“Newsweek” included the fact that 27 states now ban corporal punishment in their
public schools, whereas in 1976 only 2 states had done so. In a recent survey of
parents, “Newsweek” found that 38% use “time-outs” to discipline their children,
24% use lecturing, and only 19% use spanking, whereas a similar survey done in
1962, found that 59% used spanking as their primary form of discipline. While
we, as a nation, moved away from using corporal punishment the past 30 years,
during that same time violent crime increased more than 500% to the point where
America now leads the world in per capita rates of murder, rape and other
violent crimes. Interestingly enough, “Newsweek” reported that Singapore, with a
population of 2.7 million, had only 58 murders and 80 rapes last year, compared
with 1,058 murders and 1,781 rapes in the city of Los Angeles alone. Whether or
not you think Fay’s punishment fits his crime, Singapore’s crime statistics seem
to prove that corporal punishment definitely serves as a deterrent to crime.
Does the Bible say anything about this issue of crime and punishment? It
certainly does!
✵
“He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him
betimes” (Proverbs 13:24).
✵
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall
drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15).
✵
“Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod,
he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul
from hell” (Proverb 23:13-14)
✵
“The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his
mother to shame” (Proverbs 29:15).
✵
“Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto
thy soul” (Proverbs 29:17).
✵
“Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying”
(Proverbs 19:18).
✵
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he
receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6).
According to God’s Word, it is the responsibility of parents to teach respect
for authority, and to enforce it with reasonable discipline. If parents don’t
teach their children early-on to respect parental authority, the child will not
respect the authority of teachers, nor of the law, nor ultimately of God. The
punishment that will result from that eventuality is far worse than a rattan
caning! With eternal judgment in view, perhaps the old adage, “spare the rod,
and spoil the child,” deserves another look by those who fear God!
