Proverbs 19:18 - Meaning and Application

Parents are warned here not to be too soft with children who are stubborn and bent on evil, especially when their bad temper is already clear. If a child shows a corrupt heart, correct it at once, before the bad habit grows stronger and becomes harder to change. “Correct your son while there is still hope,” because if you wait too long, there may be little hope left, and a stronger punishment later may not do what a lighter one could do now. Weeds are easiest to pull out when they first appear, and a young animal meant for work should be trained early.

Parents should also not excuse their children just because they cry and beg to be forgiven. If correction can be avoided without harm, that is fine. But if forgiving them once, after a fake repentance and promise to do better, only makes them bolder to sin again, then parents must stand firm. This is especially true when the behavior is sinful in itself, such as lying, swearing, indecent talk, stealing, or the like. In such cases, do not let compassion become weakness. It is better for a child to cry under a parent’s discipline than later under the hand of the magistrate, or, even worse, under God’s judgment.