'..the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son.'
Hebrews 12:6
Scripture speaks of discipline as a necessary component of parenthood. It is this facet that distinguishes a parent/child relationship. It is an action borne out of love and care.
When I first became a parent, I had the opportunity to learn this spiritual principle in real time. When my son was born he was a bundle of sweet innocence and joy. Yet, all too quickly, as he grew so did his desire to have his own way. Regardless of my instruction, regardless of right or wrong, regardless of impending harm, he wanted what he wanted. I watched as my perfect, beautiful, sweet baby boy would try to deceive me. Initially, I couldn't bring myself to correct him. He was just too cute and whenever he slept he still looked so angelic. I even went so far as to pick him up and run if his father tried to correct him. Well time passed and a significant revelation came. One day he had again disobeyed me, but this time the act was worse than anything he had done previously. It was at that moment that the Lord whispered, 'If you don't correct him, what happens next will be worse' and I had a 'fast-forward' glimpse of his life. I understood that if I didn't begin correcting him, beginning with that moment, I was contributing to the foundation of an unruly lifestyle. There would be no turning back to innocence. My son needed a parent who was willing to do what was necessary for his good, so I disciplined him. From those years, I learned that the discipline my children needed would best come from their parents and how unwise it would be to leave their needs to the responsibility of others who did not love them as a mother or father would. For their protection and well-being I needed to discipline those I loved, because of love.
Spiritually, we became the sons and daughters of God when Christ bore the punishment (the correction) for our sins. As descendants of Adam we were born into sin (Romans 5:12) and born into the debt declared for Adam's sin, which was death. Knowing our inability to overcome the consequences of Adam's sin, Jesus, God the Son, was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities and by His resurrection from the dead He paid the debt of Adam's sin, thereby making we who believe, sons and daughters of God. God's mercy upon us is spoken of in Psalm 103:10-11. The psalmist wrote, 'He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities, for as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him'. Jesus took on the greatest burden of our punishment leaving us with the encouragement as sons and daughters to endure the discipline of being conformed into His image. What love!
Today many perceive punishment or discipline as cruel or restrictive. Our societal ill of child abuse has frightened many away from healthy measures of disciplining their children. I know of a case where a mom was rudely and inappropriately told to leave a store because she was preventing her child from breaking items on the store shelves. Without thinking, the store management issued a more severe discipline upon the mother than the discipline between the mother and her child.
In child-rearing, we must remember to view discipline from God's perspective. Discipline should always promote love and well-being and the disciplinary measures taken should be appropriate to the needs of the child. It is the measure taken which says, 'You are my child and I love and care about you, both your present and your future!'
Be blessed.
