Tiny Devotional for Tuesday, 12-29-2020

 A great good afternoon to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family member who have dropped by, stir your coffee.

A slave will not be instructed by words alone;
For though he understands, there will be no response.
Proverbs 29: 19, NASB

So: “You have to beat your slaves” is the message for today?

Not on THIS blog.

This DOES make a significant point about a slave culture, but I’m going to illustrate it with a much better and common practice: child rearing.

A newborn is UTTERLY dependent on others for everything, except breathing. They can’t get what they need; they can’t ask for what they need; they don’t even KNOW what they need. However, they ARE receiving instruction. It’s perhaps the most significant instruction they will ever get, and it comes through the cuddles, feeding, and changing that are a part of the bonding process.

The instruction progression looks something like this; ages VERY approximate; YMMV:

  • 0 – 18 months: Doesn’t understand instruction.
  • 18 months – 4 years: Understands, and cooperates based on whim.
  • 4 – 10+ years: Understands, and cooperates to be helpful.
  • 10+ - 15-17ish:Understands, cooperates under duress. I remember CLEARLY cooperating under duress; if I had to _____, why should I make it easy on my _____ who was telling me to do it?
  • 15-17ish - Maturity: Understands, cooperates WHEN REMINDED.
  • Maturity: Understands, and cooperates independently; a good measure of adult status. Adults do work because it needs doing, not because they are told to.

From an early age, I told my kids I was raising them to be functioning adults, not to be children. I think it helped.

Now, re slaves: if you like raising rebellious teens, and want to do that forever, try a chain gang. 
(Where legal,)

Peace be on your household.

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