D...D...Discipline

         My son, do not despise the LORD'S discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” (Hebrews 12:5-6) 

          Uh oh. Discipline? Discipline implies that we are doing something wrong. That we are not good enough. That someone else has authority over us. That someone has the right to demand things of us and to …punish us. That sounds like a job for a god, not a man. Of course, even when God is the god in question, we still tend to resent it. Nobody’s perfect. Why can’t I be considered good enough? After all, I’m not like (name your favorite sinners.) Hint: if you reject the Lord’s discipline, in that, you are like them.
         We all know we don’t like discipline, but most of the time, I think we associate it with punishment. Discipline can include punishment but is not limited to it. In a positive sense, discipline is working within parameters. It’s coloring inside the lines and dealing with the consequences of not coloring inside the lines. When I worked my way through Galatians 5:22-23, I realized that “self-control” or “self-discipline” really dealt with learning not to dirty our moral diapers and cleaning up the mess when we do. 
         Now, consider for a moment. What sort of parent wouldn’t potty train his kids?