Try Preaching On This!

Sometimes the people God gives you to serve can really "throw you a curve ball."  Sharon got one such "curve ball" a few days ago.  She was asked to attend a regional conference for the women of the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti in the area of Belladere on January 14, 2014  The leader of the women's ministry informed Sharon that the theme for the conference comes from Proverbs 20:30:  "Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being."  Now, the first thing that comes to (our) mind is, "Uh oh..."  In Haiti, there is a strong tradition of corporal punishment of children that some would call "child abuse."  (Also, husbands often use the same methods of corporal punishment on their wives).  Corporal punishment is referred to as "kale timoun" and is done with sticks, bats, and cut pieces of heavy-gage electric cable. Just about every one who has spent several months in Haiti has heard the shrieking a child being beaten severely by an adult caretaker.

The young women of Belladere walk to church.

As you can imagine, Proverbs bears witness to the fact that children were also disciplined with corporal punishment during the days of Israel (Prov. 13:24: "Whoever spares the rod hates their children").  Sharon wracked her brain trying to figure out how to teach this passage to the women.  But anther passage came to mind--Paul's admonition to Timothy: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."  In reflecting on this passage, we realized that in its context it is not so much about the corporal discipline of children (though many Haitians will no doubt take it this way), but rather about the effect of suffering in our lives.  Though suffering can be bitter at first, Scripture teaches clearly that suffering, especially suffering for the Gospel, can be a blessing.  Jesus taught, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 5:10) and "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34)."  The women of Belladere no doubt have to endure a lot of hardship as they raise families in a place that has little economic development and basic supplies like water and medicine are inaccessible or far away.  Please pray that Sharon would have persuasive and gracious words as she teaches on a passage that could be so easily misused to justify abusive discipline of children (and women).

Proverbs 20:30