Discipline and Honor

If and how your discipline your children is intimately tied to whom you honor. Eli's dealing with his sons, Hophni and Phineas, is one of the clearest examples of this:

[The LORD said], "Why then do you . . . honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ Therefore the Lord the God of Israel declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.'" (1 Samuel 2:29-30)

Eli honored his sons above the LORD and despised the LORD by permitting them to continue in disobedience. If we do not discipline our children, we despise the LORD. Not only do we ruin our children, but no longer shall we be honored by the LORD.