The Rod of Love

I first would say it doth depend
Upon the foolish heart,
Whether correction he'll receive,
Or from the law depart.
If in humility he will 
Accept chastising stroke,
Great freedom he will gain, and thus
Obedience provoke.
The rod that will but lose success
And harm instead of build

Is that which comes from angry hand;

To this, one will not yield.

Though grave and sober is the time

One takes a punishment,

If love and care cannot be felt,

He'll run and not repent.

It's not how hard, how many strokes,

Or if his tears you see,

But clear instruction, calm reproof,

And firm consistency.

As here I speak about the rod,

There's one thing I must say,

That anywhere the rod may be

The staff must also stay.

The staff of gentle guidance and

Retrieving from a fall,

The sweet assurance that I'm loved 

And will be my life all.

If you're a child learning how

To walk obediently,

Embrace correction and reproof

And walk submissively.

And to the guardians of young souls,

I urge you to take care

That, above all, you teach them by 

Your life of godly fear.

For vain will be the rod by which

You raise your little ones,

If in your life there are battles that

By God have not been won.

O rod and staff, they comfort me

And help me not to stray,

But more than all it is the life

That shows me Jesus' way!

Copyright © Elisabeth Linzey 2014