Spanking?

There is not really an Arabic word for "spank". Even Arab evangelicals just use the word "darab" which means "hit". So when talking to dads, I use a phrase which means "lovingly discipline him with the rod". They all know "the rod" from Scripture, though some argue that it is metaphorical. Yet when I ask, "Did you experience from your parents biblical discipline?", none of them say "yes". So I describe for them biblical discipline as explained here. When I ask, "Have you ever seen it modeled by any parents with young children?", I've had one in about 100 parents tell me they have.

Don't we face the same temptation that Arab believing parents face... to lazily ignore our child's sin until it annoys us to anger? At that point, we are no longer disciplining our children. We are punishing them. Hebrews 12:9-11 says, "We have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

Would you pray for Arab believing parents to preach the gospel to their children by lovingly disciplining them rather than punishing them? It is difficult for very young children to understand how Jesus' death on the cross can forgive their sin, but some temporary pain on their backside can help them understand the seriousness of sin more clearly.