What does exercising tough love toward a rebellious son actually require you to stop doing?
It requires stopping the enabling support: you cannot keep feeding him, paying him, and helping him out of his tight places. Tough love means taking steps and dealing with the rebellion rather than continually rescuing him from consequences. Israel's law went further, bringing such a son to the elders.
Les teaches from Deuteronomy 21:18–21 about a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even after they have chastened him. He notes that such a son is described as a glutton and a drunkard. Les explains that tough love, as advocated in a book titled Tough Love, means you cannot just keep feeding him, paying him, and helping him out of his tight places; you have to take steps and deal with it. Israel's procedure was far worse: the men of his city were to stone him, putting away evil from among them.