Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tao Bible - Proverbs 23:13-14

Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
~ King James version ~

When the country is ruled with a light hand
The people are simple.
When the country is ruled with severity,
The people are cunning.
~ from Verse 58 of the Tao Te Ching ~
The Bible refers to people as being the children of God, so the proverb could just as easily apply to adults as well as children.

It is one thing to scold or spank a child as a form of correction; it is quite another thing to beat him. Lao Tzu's observation, though directed at a nation, could just as well apply to a family.

When we deal with people severely, it causes resentment and, sometimes, the seeking of vengeance. Is that what we want from our children?

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

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