Shepherd's Rod

"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." ~Solomon

The sheer anger and pain in the young man's face broke my heart. He snarled the Bible quote his father had used over and over to justify years of basic assault. Each familiar word burned like flaming arrows as he sneered, "Spare the rod and spoil the child. Ya know." He cocked his head sideways and poked at the campfire with a stick. We silently watched the sparks fly up from the coals and blend with the stars.

Like a rumble of thunder, God's Spirit within me pounded through my soul. How dare that man misrepresent my God in such an insidious way! Fortunately, wisdom told me that this teen didn't need to hear how horribly his father had misused the scriptures. He didn't need another battle to fight on the "honor thy father and mother" front. He needed the power of the Holy Spirit. He needed the hope that came with discipline, not the anger that came with my indignation.  

That week, the Lord had been talking to me through John about what it meant to be a shepherd. He had led me to that very verse that had been used as a weapon and had disarmed it with one whisper. A shepherd would never beat the sheep. The rod was used to keep the sheep safe and on the path. It was never used to punish the sheep, it was used to discipline them. If a sheep was hurt in any way by the shepherd, the man himself would be liable for it. If the sheep began to leave the path, the rod was used as a constant pressure to force it back. Rarely was it used to inflict pain and only when the sheep was in immediate danger if it didn't comply.

Speaking towards the stars, I spoke into the night. I told him that I was sorry that his father had made it so hard for him to obey God by honoring his parents. I'm glad he had been taken out of the situation. I explained that Jesus is the good shepherd and that he would never beat his sheep. The flames reflected off moist eyes as he jabbed at the fire. The storm in my heart subsided and gave way to peace.     

"Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death." ~Solomon