Administering Discipline "Speedily"

Like all children, my “growing up” years were sometimes filled with a rebellious spirit. Thankfully, my father was a strict disciplinarian who did not allow any act of rebellion on my part to go unpunished. When carrying out the just punishment, he would do so “speedily” in order to make a lasting impression on my memory as to the reason for my being punished.

This important principle of discipline is found in Ezra 7:26:

“Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily on him, whether it be death, or banishment, or confiscation of goods, or imprisonment.”

A parallel passage is found in Ecclesiastes 8:11:

“Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

The idea is that when punishment is prolonged, it loses its force. This is true not only within the family but within our criminal justice system as well. It is indeed a travesty when an individual commits murder (or worse) and is allowed to go through an appeal process for multiple years before appropriate punishment is finally brought to pass.

Thus, the bottom line is this: Punishment is more effective when administered quickly or “speedily.” Parents with rebellious children would be wise to follow this principle when administering corrective discipline (Proverbs 13:24; cf. Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 23:13-14; Proverbs 29:17).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets