Discipline is a Requirement

Proverbs 12:1

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”

Being on planet earth for 76 years has a few benefits, you get to observe and be around people you love, and some take a more significant effort than others to love.  It’s true in your family, at school, work and even at your local church.  So I, like Solomon, have set out to have some understanding of life’s practical and philosophical issues.  Now I’m not going to come close to a Solomon unless I learn from him and ask the Holy Spirit to open my simple mind to understand what knowledge my generation has not taken advantage of in the area of discipline.

How does the dictionary define “discipline”? “The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.” Now let me add this caveat; “God is more interested in our character than He is in our comfort.”   That is a quote from some unknown source, but it holds to the Scripture.  And if our character is that important to our Creator has He also instructed us and given those who seek Him guidance?  The answer is found in 2 Timothy 1:7, “ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

So let me share a few observations from just observing little folks, have you ever watched two-year-olds play with other children?  The strangest things take place; they seem not to enjoy sharing toys, they seem to have a spirit of I want whatever the other child has, and often will take it from them.  Are their parents teaching them to be self-centered and mean to others, from where does that come?

Well, in all my observations of two-year-olds, I’ve discovered they come with the attitude of me first. If you’re a mom you understand this, those little darlings never were very considerate of your lack of sleep, when they have a problem the only one they give thought to is number One.  So it is going to take some training in righteousness to change those precious little sweet ones, and it's going to take correction, and encouragement and anyone with a small amount of brains understands it’s age-related.  No one in their right mind would take a switch to a baby; they need affection and love, not punishment.  But when they get to age two or three for some reason they have formed a battle plan about who is going to run the show, and guess what the answer is, not the parents, but the child. 

This is where love plays a part; a parent who loves their child understands that first and foremost your job is to train your child to become a person who loves God, and has been taught in righteous living, and to honor all authority.

Somewhere my generation dropped the ball, and have you noticed where we are today?  Moms and dads want to be friends and buddies, more than to do the hard work of training a child in the way they should go so that when they are a “teenager,” they will love God, and respect all authority.

Solomon said; “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”  And let me share this from Proverbs 29:17, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice