Learning the Hard Way

(Proverbs 29:15 KJV)  The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

What “wisdom” (2451) does the “rod” (7626) give?  I am not sure that you can pound some subtle point of theology into someone’s heart by beating them on the back.  Yet the Bible is a clear supporter of corporal punishment.  What does the belligerent and defiant criminal get from a beating?  Simple.  “Do this again and you will feel pain again.”  Even a cat can learn this lesson.

It teaches the law of cause and effect, a lesson that is sorely lacking in today’s world.  When we have universities concerned about “safe spaces” and “triggers” we have organizations trying to shelter weak people from learning the lessons of life and strong people from becoming more civilized.  I will concede that there are some people with deep emotional scars who need some understanding but getting upset when someone writes “Trump” in chalk on the sidewalk does not qualify.

So?  There are lessons in life that need to be learned.  If we can learn them by hearing about it, well and good.  If not then we need to learn the hard way.