I’m sure you have heard or maybe even had one of those love/hate things going on.
You love ice cream (guilty) but hate the calories (I don’t care). 🙂
You love pizza (guilty again) but hate the results (ditto).
You love feeling and looking good (guilty) but hate the exercise required (can’t say this).
Instead of the word “hate” use the words “don’t like it all that much.” 🙂
Seriously though, there are certain love/hate things that go on in my life. One occurred to me as I listened to a podcast Tuesday while driving…then I read something on Wednesday morning during my Encounter Time that cemented it. Please take a moment and read Hebrews 12:5-11. Again, I could link it here but I encourage you to get your Bible out and read it slowly.
Discipline. It took me a long time to separate discipline from punishment. Growing up I had someone who mistook punishment for discipline. As a father, I had to wrestle with my upbringing, to separate them and to realize that discipline was to teach. I didn’t always succeed (I’m ashamed to admit).
Even now I sometimes struggle with God and whether He is disciplining me or punishing me.
The truth is real though. I disciplined my girls because I love them. John Cooper (lead singer of Skillet) was a guest on the podcast (Alisa Childers) and he was telling how he disciplined his daughter and explained to her he did it because he loved her. A week or so later she came to him and said, “Daddy, that man hates his son.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because he is pushing all the kids around and his dad won’t tell him to stop.” 🙂 🙂
Needless to say she got John’s point.
And even though I am not fond of God’s discipline (sometimes it really hurts), I know He loves me.
“Father, thank you for Your discipline. It shows me You love me. Help me not to forget that truth when it hurts.”
Discipline comes in many colors, shapes, and sizes. There is often not a one shoe fits all scenarios.
Some may respond to a stern word.
Some may just require a little course correction. Some may require a little heat to the bottom.
Regardless of the method, what you describe is spot on… Discipline must come out of love. The ultimate desire for the one being disciplined not to go through the guardrails and into the ravine.
Same holds true for the discipline we receive, yet it is dispensed from the perfect father that knows our hearts, our motives, our desires and can apply the perfect discipline at the perfect time.
I most certainly agree Ryan about different strokes for different folks. (My interpretation). 🙂 And I heartily agree about the perfect Father who knows us better than we know ourselves.