“My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth” (Proverbs 3:11-12 KJV).
The same Lord that warns us to correct our children is the same Lord that will take us to the woodshed when necessary, because we all know that we need it from time to time just to remind us that we are to live by God’s standard, and not our own. It is so easy to become haughty and condescending to others, as though somehow, we were not a sinner saved by grace, just as they are.
God has a marvelous tool that He keeps close at hand for just such an occasion. In fact, even David, the shepherd had one as well. We see it in a very well-known verse in our Bibles, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalms 23:4 KJV). It is the shepherd’s staff.
On one end of the staff was a crook which the shepherd would use to guide a sheep back onto the path if he strays from it. A shepherd might have a very large number of sheep and he is responsible to see that his charges only graze in open pasture, and not in some farmer’s grain. In fact, he was financially responsible if his sheep damaged the grain either by eating it or trampling upon it. Each farm had footpaths that led through their land, and it was up to the shepherd to see that his sheep did not stray from it.
Sometimes a lamb might have a mind of its own and defy the shepherd and ignore the crook of the staff. On the other end of the staff was a point which the shepherd would use by jabbing the sheep—giving it enough discomfort to teach it that it is needs to stay on the path. When that doesn’t work, the shepherd also has a sling, but that is the subject for another day.
“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:5-6 KJV).
God’s chastening is actually quite wonderful. Sad is the man that never feels the sting of God’s chastening. This is so because the Lord never whups the Devil’s kids. When we feel God nudging us back on the path through our conscience or feel the pointy end of His staff by being overcome by the feeling of a distance between us and our Saviour—sin separates—and sin will break our close fellowship with God, we know that we are God’s kids. A lost man will never feel that emptiness, because he has nothing to compare true closeness with God to. The passage in Hebrews continues:
“If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons” (Hebrews 12:7-8 KJV). A very strong verse with a very harsh message, but a necessary one.
Be thankful, my Christian friend, that God chastens us with a gentle rod, for it is our parent’s rod that helps to get us saved, it is the pastor’s rod that encourages us, and it is the Lord’s rod that helps to keep us straight. But thank God that because of these we will never know the rod of iron that will be used one day on the lost.
Father, we thank You for Your love, a love so great that You keep us from straying into the Devil’s grain. Help us to maintain a good, tender conscience so that we know when we are starting to drift and use You staff whenever it is needed. Amen.
