“IT’D BE WORSE IF I RAN”

I’m sure the world has seen the pictures of the angry, courageous mother in Baltimore, Maryland, this week. The mother who saw her son was in danger and did what she had to do to save him.
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1 NAS).

Would we had millions of moms just like her. Moms willing to do—to risk—whatever it takes to drag their children out of harm’s way.
And did you notice the son? He obeyed his mama!
“Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you smite him with the rod, he will not die” (Proverbs 23:13 NAS).

Can you picture what raced through this young man’s mind when he saw this female dynamo mom charging toward him with his name flaming in her eyes? He was quoted as saying “I thought about running, but I knew it’d be worse if I ran.” And he obeyed. Not because he wanted to, but because he had a righteous fear of his mother. May God bless that boy and his mom for their righteous fear.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7 NAS).

God tells us:
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline will remove it far from him” (Proverbs 22:15 NAS).

Yes, that boy’s heart was full of deceived, foolishness, but he also had been on the receiving end of her rod of correction before. And she taught him well. He obeyed his mom.
God tells parents to discipline children quickly and diligently. And this mama did just that.
Far too long we have listened to the Spocks and liberal idiots who tell us don’t spank the child. Give ‘em a time out instead. Don’t damage their self-esteem. Well, America, to coin a famous psychologist, “How’s that working for you?” From the mob of undisciplined Baltimore teens I saw on TV Monday night, that answers the question—Who’s right, Dr. Spock or God?
A group of angry, courageous moms could have quelled that mob’s violence in less than thirty minutes with the switch of motherly disciplinary rage. But that would have meant the discipline would have begun before Monday night. And it would also have meant the perpetuating press, and whispering, instigating, troublemakers, would have to be disciplined and sent home too.
“For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body…He who hates disguises it with his lips, but he lays up deceit in his heart. When he speaks graciously do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart” (Proverbs 26:20-25 NAS).

Mothers, dads, you do a great disservice to your child by laughing and refusing to address and discipline inappropriate behavior. What’s cute at two isn’t precious at five or six. But by that age habits have been formed. Habits that are difficult to change. Like who rules the home? But mom and dad, if you fail to discipline your child, you have chosen to disobey God.
“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. Correct your son, and he will give you comfort; he will also delight your soul” (Proverbs 29:15, 17 NAS)
How displeased, yes even angry, God must be with this nation of absentee parents of rebellious off-spring.
You can’t do anything about the children of the world, but you can change your child. And with that change you may influence friends and neighbors to reclaim their authority over their children, so that these rebellious, deceived children may come to understand the authority of God in their lives and be saved from an eternity of hell’s fire. Separated from God forever.
All because they never learned to abide by the rules.
Scripture tells us that when Christ returns there will be such crying among His people as we come into His presence that God will have to wipe our tears away. Have you considered what would be so horrific it would take God stepping from His throne and going through the crowd to wipe the tears from our eyes? I buried a twenty-eight year old daughter and I can tell you I cried. Cried for years, but I stopped crying.
And we all stop crying at some point from tragedies on this earth.

However, think about watching the child you birthed told by God “depart from me, I never knew you.” And watching the angels carry your child, your neighbor’s child, your niece or nephew, and watching them be cast into an eternal place of torment…prepared for the devil and his angels.
All because you decided to be their friend rather than their parent. Because you didn’t teach them to respect authority, so they had no understanding or respect for the authority of God.
Perhaps you’ve never learned about the need for authority in your own life. Understand this please, God created you and He loves you with an everlasting love. And He desires you to change your thinking, submit yourself to His authority and place your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Right now, while there’s still time. But God’s patience will not last forever. One day, perhaps even tomorrow—God will tell Jesus, Son, go get my children.
And all hell will break out on this earth for seven years. Torment and hell making Baltimore and Ferguson seem like a picnic.
Make no mistake, we’re all going to live forever. Somewhere. Yes, during those seven years you can still be rescued by Jesus, but you will be killed for trusting Him. At the end of those seven years it will be too late. Your destiny will be settled. Forever.
But right now you have the choice—heaven in God’s presence?
Or an eternity with the instigator of all rebellion, lies, and murders. The roaring lion who since the beginning has destroyed so many lives—and desires to destroy yours and your child’s too.
And remember, it’s always worse to run from God.
“There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers” (Proverbs 6:6-9 NAS).

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