God the bodyguard and GPS: how do you use the rod in your home?

I have the great fortune of having a specific "mental picture" of "God's rod" due to my life having taken a turn to Central American once. 

I have driven many miles to many "unknown" destinations in my life...(using a paper map for most of those years, eww!) I've made wrong turns and ended up driving thru some very scary neighborhoods. I've also lived in Guatemala where I have seen people driving around with armed body guards on the backs of their trucks.

So, I see David in Psalm 23 saying that..."Though I drive thru the scariest parts of the scariest towns, I will fear no bad guys! Your ability to protect me and your guidance they comfort me!"

In the ancient times...
Shepherds carried a staff...which they used for guiding sheep.

God is The Good Shepherd...
His "staff" makes God the ultimate GPS in life.

In the ancient times...
Shepherds carried a rod with spikes on the end...which they used for fighting off predators...(modern shepherds use guns).

God is The Good Shepherd...
His "rod" makes Him one mighty powerful body guard on the back of our truck to protect us from bad guys.

Ancient shepherd's rod. 

Nothing at all like a spatula, open hand, switch, paddle or wooden spoon.

Clearly not for hitting sheep. 

Clearly capable of bringing comfort to one being protected by it.

Look at it this way, there are two options:

If you were driving thru a scary part of a strange town with an angry mob chasing you trying to kill you (the valley of the shadow of death)...would you find it very "comforting" if whenever you took a wrong turn your GPS would sometimes cause an electrical current to flow thru your steering wheel and give you a painful shock to let you know you'd made a wrong turn? 

Would you find that comforting? Or, would it make you afraid to even try and steer...making you more vulnerable to the crazed mob?


This would actually be the correct metaphor to use if the "rod" spoken of in the Bible is for striking children. And, a good question is where is God's protection here? Who is doing the protecting in this situation?

What if you were driving thru a scary part of a strange town with an angry mob chasing you trying to kill you (the valley of the shadow of death)...would you find it very "comforting" if whenever you took a wrong turn the GPS would consistently, faithfully, and patiently say, "Recalculating" and tell you which way to keep going to escape the danger and rectify each wrong turn (mistake)?

And, would it be "comforting" if meanwhile...a big buff body guard with a big buff gun was riding on the back of your truck ever vigilant to make sure no bad guys got near ya?

This is the correct metaphor to use if the "rod" spoken of in the Bible is for striking predators.

It's really so simple.

It's really so important.

God is our Father. He is our example as to how to live our lives and care for our own children. God's children feel comfort because His rod and staff...guild them and keep them safe. They would not feel comfort if that rod and staff hurt them and caused them pain.

People spank believing that the pain will drive home the message of their lesson and keep the children from going near whatever that misbehavior was ever again. They know that the use of pain is something to keep you away from something. So, how would David find God's rod "comforting" and desire to be near it if it hurt him?

However we use "the rod" in our homes...that is how our children will believe God guides them. And, if God's "rod" is the first one that hurts you whenever you take a wrong turn, I'd say that it would create a world where there is no distinction between bad guys and God because we would fear both of them. And, how sad that has to make God...

You know, the discussions about "spanking" can go round and round forever. People can play "battle of the verses" and can reason their side all day about "how" to "use the rod" that's spoken of in the Bible.

As we see, though, the Bible does say TO use it and that God does. So...there is actually a really simple "test" in the Bible to reveal to each individual whether or not they are exercising the "use of the rod" correctly or not.

It's very simple: If you use an actual "rod" of some sort...take that "rod"...and put it before your child (or if the rod has a special place it hangs on the wall or something like it did in my home just take the child over before it). Ask your child how that object makes them FEEEEEL. 

If you tell your child that you're going to go get your "rod" or that if they don't stop doing something that they will be hit with it...does that child feel comfort...or fear?

Simple.

Just ask them and listen to their answer. Don't prod them or lead them just try to get them to give you their honest answer...and then compare their response to Psalm 23...

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Your rod and your staff they comfort me."

Comfort. Does the way you use the rod in your home evoke the feelings of "comfort" in your child? If not, then something needs to be refined or adjusted in the way you use it until your child can answer that question that way.

All families are different and what works for one family doesn't work for another, true? So, the response you get from your own child about the rod is the evidence from within your own family, personal...not anyone else telling you what to do.

The only universal thing about all of our diverse families is fruit. Jesus said we'd know things by their fruits, and the fruits of God's rod produced "comfort" in His child, David...so likewise it should produce the same in our children. God is our example to follow and so if we are following His example we will see the same fruit and then we'll know that we're using the rod the way God wants us to.

So, you know your own family. You know your own kids. You know God commands that if you neglect to use the rod you hate your child.

Does the way you wield the rod in your home give your children the confidence and comfort that no matter what life would throw their way that because of you they are guided, safe, and protected?

Or...do they feel fear?

Comfort and salvation is from the Lord.

Fear...is not. It's from the other guy. 

So...who's your daddy? Who are you parenting like? The one who hurts us...or the one who saves?

Imagine you're a hungry lion...

Imagine you're a lion...and you're hungry. Up ahead you see the lion version of McDonald's. Mmmm. A huge flock of nice, fresh, yummmmmy sheep. Just drive right on thru there and pick up a few of them to go! Yes!

One problem. They're all tightly gathered around a bodyguard and he's armed with this ancient equivalent of the modern gun...

As a predator now, that's a problem. How do you get a meal?

You could kill the guard, maybe? But, he's got that big stick! Gotta get that stick away from him! What if you could find some way to convince the guard...to put down his weapon? 

Or, better yet! What if you could convince the guard...to use that weapon...on those he is protecting. Aha! Now you're talking, right? We've all watched animal shows at some point and know that predators pick on the weak, sick, and the ones who are all alone, right? And, if you can get that guard to turn and use that weapon on the sheep soon...the sheep would be weakened, sickly, and probably a lot of them would be drifting off by themselves to get away from the guard!

Ooh, and that's another good idea! Somehow convince the guard that it's good for the sheep to be left all alone. Teach those sheep to be "independent!" That way, you don't even have to worry about the weapon 'cause it'll be nowhere in sight!

Yeah. Do those things and then you'd have a really tasty meal and an easy time of it. Somebody grab the A1 sauce! Mmmm

But, what shepherd would be that stupid? Use a weapon on the sheep he's protecting? I mean...REALLY?!

The Bible says...
"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 

God chose the analogy of devil/lion to help us understand how the devil works and how to defeat him.

The reason God chose that analogy is...

"...since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20

God is teaching us through "parables" through nature everywhere we look. The more you understand about the way the world God created works, the more you know what God intends for us. It was awesome of God to do this for us in case we end up surrounded by false teachers someday. They can't change how the world works so that truth is always there for us to find...

The Bible says...
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

God chose the analogy of God as a shepherd protecting humans like sheep. When David was faced with the scariest moments of his life, it was God's staff (gps) and His rod (weapon like a modern gun) that made him feel safe. God's rod was not for David but for David's enemies.

The Bible says...

He who withholds his rod hates his son...Proverbs 13:24
God chose the analogy of shepherd/parent...because anyone back then (when it was written) would know that if you withhold your rod from your flock of sheep...you hate them because you're not protecting them from the lion.

David was a shepherd. He said that God's rod made him feel comforted because God's rod was used against the predators...just like the rod that David used to protect his sheep.

So, you're a hungry lion...aka the devil...and you see a child and you want to get to that child. But, God has designed the parent to be the child's armed bodyguard and to instinctively stick with that guard until they're strong enough to defend themselves...just like in nature. Children are designed to find comfort in their parents' guidance and protection. 

So, why is it that nearly all the "Christian" teachers about child rearing teach the parent/shepherd...to turn...and use the weapon...on their sheep/child? 

Why is it that nearly all "Christians" believe that it is good if their children "fear" them???


The lion/devil...you know...is a crafty one...
"He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44 

Your children are a precious gift from God...helpless and fully dependent on you for everything from day one. 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

So, has the devil lied to you so as to better steal, kill, and destroy in your family? Are you the armed shepherd that keeps the lion/devil away from your sheep who all know the safest place is to be as close to you as possible?  

Or, have you believed the lies that have saturated the church via men like Dobson, Pearl, Tripp, and Ezzo...and are now actively weakening your sheep/children by turning the weapon God gave you against the enemy on your children...and driving them away from the safety of your presence? 

How do you use the weapon God's given you against the devil (your rod) in your home? God says that the truth is so obvious you are without excuse... (Romans 1)

Reason 132: The Good Shepherd

In John 10 (1-20)...Jesus says that if you are truly the shepherd that you will enter the right way and entering some other way makes you a thief and robber... 

1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 

Jesus says that the sheep are called by name and that the sheep know their shepherd's voice and willingly follow Him...as He (leads) sets the example of where and how to go...

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 

Jesus says that the sheep will be disobedient to and run away from someone who is not their shepherd...(children will disobey and flee from people who are not shepherding them the right way as they are not designed to respond to them)

5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 

Jesus says that those who no matter what simply won't understand this...

6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

Jesus says that He...His life recorded in the New Testament...is the door into the sheep's pen...and that all the "law" that came before Him had no power to save the sheep...(focusing on a few verses in the Old Testament to try to raise your children is missing the truth)

7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Jesus says His life is the way you should shepherd your sheep...

11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 

Jesus says that you're not truly the shepherd of the sheep if you fail to  protect the sheep from predators...

12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 

Shepherd's Rod

Jesus says He shepherds the sheep God's way...

14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 

Jesus says the type of shepherding (parenting) that is pleasing to God is the one in which the parents center their lives on the welfare of their children and lay down their own lives for the children...and that they do this willingly...

17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Jesus says that there are those among the church who will find this offensive...and will attack...(Christians who believe that "spanking" is wrong...get called lost, led-astray, liberals, leftists, non-Christians...basically "demon possessed.") 

19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”

Interestingly enough...directly after Jesus said all this, we're told that this happened: 

John 10:24-31

"The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him."

So, how about you? 

Do you understand what Jesus means? Or, do you feel ready to "stone" this message against spanking?

I guess if you know His voice...you'll follow Him...

John 8:30-32

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”