Shepherding a Child's Heart

Correction
Sometimes a child needs to be brought into conformity with a
standard. Correction remedies something wrong. Correction gives
your children insight into what is wrong and what may be done to
correct the problem. Correction helps your children to understand
God’s standard and teaches them to assess their behavior against that
standard. 2 Timothy 3:16–17 reminds us that correction is one of the

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functions of the Word of God.
My wife, Margy, was having a conversation with our daughter one
night. It was an occasion when the issue that prompted the talk
became secondary because of what was happening during the
conversation. Our daughter was playing the correction game like a
pro. She was making all the right nods and comments. Her mother
sensed, however, that Heather’s heart was not joined to her head.
Margy tested her suspicion by asking some probing questions. She
quickly realized Heather’s need for correction. She addressed
Heather’s response in terms of Proverbs 9 and the contrast between
the way a mocker and a wise person receives correction. She
administered correction, helping Heather to understand God’s
standard and assess her response to correction in terms of that
standard. Heather’s resistance quickly melted behind a torrent of
tears. The conversation continued profitably.
Rebuke
A rebuke censures behavior. Sometimes a child must experience
your sense of alarm, shock, and dismay at what he has done or said.
For example, we have always taught our children that there are some
necessary limits on free speech. We should never tell people we hate
them, or wish death or injury upon them. Such statements would draw
a stern rebuke. We would say with evident alarm and indignation, “It
is wrong for you to speak those words. I never want to hear you speak
in such a way again.” (This would be followed, of course, by other
forms of communication, such as instruction, encouragement, and
prayer.)