Proverbs 3:11-12
11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Discipline. It has such a negative connotation to it. Not something that I would naturally want. And yet here we are told not to despise the Lord's discipline (verse 11). What's so wonderful about discipline? The answer is in verse 12: "The Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights". We tend to think of discipline as a mean punishment, but the writer is saying that God's discipline is an act of love. The picture of a parent and child is helpful here, as all parents must sometimes discipline their children for their own good, because they love them and want them to learn. If there is no discipline in a home, the children grow up to be unruly and foolish. It is discipline that teaches us proper behavior, and that keeps us out of trouble. God doesn't enjoy punishing us, but He loves us enough to set boundaries and consequences on our behavior, so that we will learn to be self-disciplined and mature.
Lord, I confess to not liking discipline, but I also confess that I need Your loving discipline.
11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Discipline. It has such a negative connotation to it. Not something that I would naturally want. And yet here we are told not to despise the Lord's discipline (verse 11). What's so wonderful about discipline? The answer is in verse 12: "The Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights". We tend to think of discipline as a mean punishment, but the writer is saying that God's discipline is an act of love. The picture of a parent and child is helpful here, as all parents must sometimes discipline their children for their own good, because they love them and want them to learn. If there is no discipline in a home, the children grow up to be unruly and foolish. It is discipline that teaches us proper behavior, and that keeps us out of trouble. God doesn't enjoy punishing us, but He loves us enough to set boundaries and consequences on our behavior, so that we will learn to be self-disciplined and mature.
Lord, I confess to not liking discipline, but I also confess that I need Your loving discipline.