While this is an issue that I continue to debate in my own mind, I believe this entry has significant merit and is worth some study. I respect Dobson and Tripp and their insights on spanking. I consider pain to be a great teacher. However, I have a nagging question: Do shepherds beat/strike/spank their own sheep with their rod or staff? If they do, what does that look like? I can’t imagine them taking them over their knee. I picture it more as a prodding or guiding or poking to gain attention more than inflicting tear-inducing pain (not that sheep cry). But I could be wrong as I know that God has used tear-inducing methods many times for His children. Anyways, I do think this article is worth considering.
via Dare to Disciple
StevenBourque.com 
Dear Steven,
I would encourage you to do some research into shepherding. It will answer your questions about beating sheep. 🙂 Considering the fact that Shepherds and ‘beat’ are never mentioned together in the Bible, I find it astonishing that anyone has a drawn the conclusion that a sheepherder would strike a sheep. That is an extrapolation drawn by those who beleieve that the Rod is only used for beating.
For more on Rod studies please visit Arms Of Love Family Fellowship, to which you may find a link at Dare to Disciple.
greenegem
Thanks greenegem. Got any suggestions on where to research shepherding? I haven’t been to the library yet.
One of the big reasons I have not spanked my children is that we have gone through the adoption process (not completed yet). That is a big no-no to them. We were told we couldn’t adopt if we held to the spanking position. I never want culture to help me make faith-based decisions, but it has triggered my desire to think it through Biblically and thoroughly.
Oh Steven! I will pray that the adoption proceedings follow through to completion! ❤
Being a parent who started out spanking, and then had a change of Heart, I feel deeply about this subject.
IRT sheep- we could go live with some shepherds… but I feel that is unnecessary. 😉 You see, Jesus is called the Gentle Shepherd for a good reason. He embodies Love. And if we commit to parent by the Fruits of the Spirit and by the description Paul set down in 1st Corinthians about how Love behaves, we must immitate the Originator of Perfect Love- Jesus Christ.
We also need to be so cautious in interpreting the Scriptures. We can create word pictures (like that of a human shepherd) but we err if we take those pictures too literally. A human shepherd might well strike a sheep out of Human frustration, but that does not make him an image of our True Shepherd.
In your study of Proverbs, I ask one thing of you- take the book in context. That is- take it as a collection of folk wisdom and observances from a father to his son. The Rod verses as classically interpreted seem to conflict with who God shows himself to be in all the rest of scripture.
greenegem