It's Not Punishment, Only Discipline: Hebrews 12:5‐7,11‐13

Today, there are so many products that promise health or weight loss without physical exercise. Physical fitness is now competing with pharmaceutical products. As society evolves, the easy-does-it way is in high demand. When I was a young father, I had difficulty getting my son to complete his homework on time and to do so the correct way. Whenever he heard my vehicle alarm activated, he knew I was on my way to the house. At that point, he would change gears - from the video game or television to his books. And he was good at it, or at least that's what he thought. However, when the complaints from his teacher increased, I had to do something. Thus, one Friday after school, I promised my children if they completed their homework, and there are no dirty dishes in the sink, I'll treat them to a full day at the park and a movie night. I also told them their favourite cousins were invited.

That Friday evening my son retrieved his knee pads, elbow pads, and got his bicycle shiny and clean. He oiled the wheels of his stand-up skates and polished his helmet, all for the big day at the park. On Saturday morning after breakfast, I picked up their cousins and returned to the house. Then I told my daughter to get in the vehicle, as I grabbed her bike to take downstairs. My son grabbed his bike, helmet on with knee and elbow pads, and as he approached me to help him with his bike, I stopped him and told him he's not going. He just couldn't understand. His facial expression said: What! Dad why? But! He stuttered, stammered, cried, screamed, and cried some more with trembling lips. I left, not paying him any attention, apart from telling him: “When you stop lying to me that you do not have any homework or complete your homework as I asked you to, then I'll allow you to enjoy the weekends at the park with your sister and cousins." From that day, my son never skipped a beat in doing his homework.

Twenty-two years later, my son, who had become a father of four, said to me one day: "Dad, thank you for the discipline you enforced in my life. I did not understand the benefits then, and hated it, but now I understand and appreciate you disciplining me."  As a father, his children are giving him a taste of what he gave me, and now he knows that a father disciplines his children because he loves them. Our Scripture passage today says: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for all those who have been trained by it” [Hebrews 12:11]. Children see discipline as punishment. An athlete, however, sees discipline as training. How you see God’s discipline will dictate your response and attitude. And the Scripture encourages us to endure hardship as discipline. Therefore, let’s accept the discipline of the Lord as training, and respond with an attitude of humility and appreciation.

R.G.  23/08/25

Image: pixabay.com

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