Discipline

Proverbs 1:7—Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.

The fool…the one with no sense…the one that always seems to be doing the wrong thing. Why? Because they lack the ability to embrace wisdom and discipline.

Now this isn’t the kind of discipline that comes to us when we do the wrong thing, but rather, the training that helps us to do the right thing.

Here’s the issue folks: we are bent to do the wrong thing. Most of us, when faced with a situation that calls for a moral judgement, will always choose the option that best benefits us…regardless of whether the decision is right or wrong. For instance, when a child is faced with the option to take a cookie from the plate when no one is looking, they will more often than not choose to satisfy their own desires.

I remember a funny video that demonstrated this very thing. Kids were offered a marshmallow, and if they refused to eat it for about ten minutes or so, they were then given two marshmallows. The different kids all had a different response to the choice before them, but many of them just chose to eat the yummy treat now rather than wait for more later.

So here is the issue that we face. Those who are foolish tend to not want to go through discipline. They don’t want to put in the work to become better people. They’d rather just be who they are, and forget about the circumstances. In fact, the work to become better is just too hard for them to comprehend, and therefore, they despise it.

But you and I, Christ-follower, should always decide to take the time to be disciplined. In fact, as I write this today, I want to share with you that I, too, have been foolish in this area…opting to try and follow Christ on the “fast-track” and not put the time in that I need to. As a result, I have felt empty, distant and disconnected from Christ. But I am choosing to embrace discipline. I want to honor God with my life, my time, and the decisions I make.

How about you? Will you embrace discipline? If you will, you will be wise, and no fool.

Comment below about ways that you practice spiritual discipline.

Think about that today and God bless you!