DISCIPLINE
Judgment: We judge as we are judged. I ask God to touch me as I measure my words, consequences and final rulings.
Fairness: Is your judgement fair? We should be careful not to be so concerned with being fair that we sacrifice the measure we are attempting to relay. God is not necessarily fair but God is just at all times. If you say something, then keep to it consistently. Suffering: We mainly suffer for the following reasons:
hen we discuss the
Wdiscipline of our children, we often think in terms of corporal punishment. There are times when corporal punishment may actually be necessary, but that is not where we should start.“ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”( Ephesians 6:4). For example, my dad would rather talk to me and try to get me to understand the point of view of the house, than take the route of corporal punishment.
As parents or guardians, we should establish firm ground rules, as well as the consequences of repeatedly violating these rules. In this way, the child would be able to make a conscious decision and weigh the risks versus the benefits of following or breaking the ground rules. It is vital to understand that the consequences should get more severe with each offence. Let me give you the Bible verse, Proverbs 13:24:“ Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.”
The question that arises, is: where and when do we start corporal punishment? I realize that, as a result of heavy-handed discipline, lawmakers have been trying to protect children from abuse. However, if we do not have control of the way we raise our children, we will be handling them over to the police, judges and prison guards in the nearest future
This reminds me of the broken window theory: if we accept one broken window, we will accept two broken windows, three, on and on. On the other hand, if we keep the windows intact, we will appreciate the effort of preserving the building. We may not even know that we appreciate it, but we do. In other words, if we allow one little thing to slide, more and more will follow. We cannot keep kicking the can down the road: at some point, someone has to take the responsibility of picking it up and disposing of it. In order for this to work there need to be much more in place. Discipline is necessary and effective in correcting or molding character and behavior. What is also necessary, is to learn how to be obedient. The process by which God ' s people learned obedience was the“ discipline of the Lord”( Deuteronomy 11:2: NIV).
In the short version of the topic of discipline, I believe in following a few basic principles: severity, judgement, fairness
Severity: I believe that the punishment should be measured, with more severity than the act itself.
We make choices against the rules that governor our lives, which leads to suffering. We suffer because of our own foolishness: we always reap what we sow( Gal. 6:79). Sometimes, we suffer because of God ' s discipline.“ For those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines, and He scourges every son He receives”( Heb. 12:6).
We may suffer persecution because of our faith particularly when we take a firm stand on biblical issues, e. g. suffering for righteousness sake( 2 Tim. 3:12). In conclusion, I would like to present scriptures of love. The love needed here is clearly shown in God ' s Word.
“ Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you( Exodus 20:12: ESV). As you can see, this scripture actually offers a reward for following it. Train your children in the way( s) that they should follow and they will not depart from it not even when they are old( Proverbs 22:6: ESV).“ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony( Colossians 3:14).
Presiding Bishop, Dr. GE Gordon Sr.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
The BrighterLife Magazine | Page 02