Proverbs 12:1
“To learn, you must love discipline; it is foolish to hate correction.”
The author Richard Foster, in his book, Celebration of Discipline – the Path to Spiritual Growth, is one of the most phenomenal Christian books, which contains the benefits of practicing the three main sets of disciplines such as the Inward Disciplines (Meditate, Prayer, Fasting, Study), the Outward discipline (Simplicity, Solitude, Submission, Service) and the Corporate discipline (Confession, Worship, Guidance, Celebration). These disciplines are essential in one’s growth and in this book, the author highlighted an important point that “discipline brings freedom”, it is our path to liberation.
To most of us, discipline connotes a negative impression as though it stifles us. But the truth is the other way around. In today’s Proverb, we are encouraged to “love discipline”, simply because discipline sets us free from the bondages of sinful ways that can harm us spiritually. One of the things that we appreciate in being engaged in a Christian community by having accountability partners and small groups is the loving correction, through them, we can see what we do not see that helps us to be aware. As the wisest man ever lived highlighted, it is “fool to hate correction”, similarly to the Fatherly correction and discipline of the Lord, we may at first thought of it as a punishment but in the long run only to find out that it is for our good, it kept us away from harm and more importantly, it draws us near to God.
Today, let us change our perspective towards discipline, especially the Godly disciplines. It is a lie that it punishes us, rather, it is a way to spiritual liberation, to allow God to work in us and through us, to set us free and to gain wisdom. Be encouraged that we experience it in our lives because the Father treat us as His children for our protection; a reason to rejoice as the Lord, our Father, truly loves us.
