The Fruit of Discipline // Wisdom That Works, Part 10

A Different Perspective Official Podcast

Let me ask you - throughout your life, no doubt, there have been times where you’ve experienced discipline - as a child and as an adult. So - did you ever enjoy the experience back then? Chances are - the answer’s no. And what about God’s discipline? Have you ever experienced that? Something worth chatting about. So …

I can honestly say as I look back on my life that there is not a single time, not one, when I've enjoyed being disciplined. I remember as a child I was a lively sort of a lad as you could probably imagine, I was into everything and inquisitive and full of beans.

Since I was old enough to sleep in a bed rather than a cot I've been getting up at 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, it's just the way I'm wired. I was never shy or retiring, always out there and into everything. So it's not surprising, growing up, I had more than my fair share of discipline.

More than the odd belting when I grew up not that I'm necessarily suggesting that's the best way to discipline a child. And then as a teenager and a young adult when I was studying at the Royal Military College Duntroon to become an officer in the Australian Army, that is where you learn what discipline's all about. And then in the workplace.

I can honestly say there is not a single time that I've enjoyed being disciplined. But looking back on it without that discipline I think I would have grown up to be an absolutely unbearable person. Completely horrible.

Discipline's never fun at the time but it's an important part of our lives and I think it bears some thinking about so today, today we're going to spend a bit of time unpacking this whole thing of discipline.

There's not a one of us, I suspect, who can't think back to the time when we lived with our parents, those of us who were fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to grow up with our mum and dad or at least one of them. And as we think back to the times that we remember when they disciplined us they aren't happy memories are they?

I can remember how unfair discipline felt at the time. How much I hated being disciplined. Man, why do things have to be like that? Why did God have to invent a world where we'd have to learn by being disciplined?

Well today we're continuing in our new series called Wisdom That Works and right in the next passage of the Book of Proverbs, a book of wisdom written by wise old King Solomon to his younger sons, right in the next bit that we're up to we get an answer to that question. Why do we need discipline?

Now let's have a listen. We're looking at Proverbs chapter 6 beginning at verse 20:

My child keep your father's commandment and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart, tie them around your neck. When you walk they will lead you, when you lie down they will watch over you and when you awake they will talk with you.

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life to preserve you from the wife of another, from the smooth tongue of an adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes. For a prostitutes fee is only a loaf of bread but the wife of another stalks a mans very life.

Can fire be carried in the bosom without burning ones clothes? Or can one walk on hot coals without scorching the feet? So is he who sleeps with his neighbour’s wife. No one who touches her will go unpunished. Thieves are not despised who steal only to satisfy their appetite when they're hungry.

Yet if they are caught they pay seven fold. They will forfeit all the goods of their house but he who commits adultery has no sense. He who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonour and his disgrace will not be wiped away. For jealousy arouses a husbands fury and he shows no restraint when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation and refuses a bribe no matter how great.

Now the example Solomon uses here to his sons is the example of adultery. And he kicks off by talking about the huge investment that he and the mother of these young men have made in them. Through their commandments and their teachings and the reproof of their wisdom.

And the counsel is to hang onto those, to bind them on your heart, to tie them around your neck. Why? Because they'll protect you. They'll watch over you. They'll guide you. When we head off and want to do something stupid like adultery but it could be anything, it could be dishonesty or it could be dissention or back biting. It could be anything.

When we want to head off in the wrong direction the wisdom given to us by our parents will be like a lamp and a light and show us things for what they are. The wisdom of our parents and for you and me the wisdom of God will protect us.

Now wisdom always involves discipline. It involves us being taught the hard way sometimes not to head off in a certain direction because we're going to get hurt. You and I, we naturally shun discipline but have a listen to what Solomon says to his lads and what God has to say to you and me here and now in Proverbs chapter 6, verses 23 and 24:

The commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light, the reproofs of discipline are the way of life to preserve you from the wife of another, from the smooth tongue of an adulteress.

You pick that? The reproof of discipline is a way of life to preserve us from the consequences of wrong doing. And then of course Solomon goes on to lay out the horrible things that happen to the young man who commits adultery not withstanding the seductive nature of what's on offer.

Discipline as a way of life - ouch. You see we have this idea that if we're succeeding things should always be getting bigger and better and faster and greater. Things should always be on the up and up and we should be getting more influence and more successes and more, more, more. That's the picture we have of life.

And then all of a sudden when things take a turn for the worst, we think to ourselves, 'oh woe is me. Has God forsaken me? Where's God? What's God doing? Why is this happening to me? Me, me of all people.' That's how we want to carry on.

Come with me to the New Testament, 1,000 or so years after Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs to the letter to the Hebrews chapter 12. Have a listen to what God has to say about discipline. Hebrews chapter 12 beginning at verse 7:

Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children. For what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share then you are illegitimate and not His children.

Moreover we had human parents to discipline us and we respected them, should we not then be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live. For they disciplined us for a short time as seen best to them but He disciplines us for our good in order that we may share in His holiness.

Now discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore lift your dripping hands, strengthen your weak knees and make straight the paths of your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

You see discipline is a way of life. It's Gods way of helping us to grow. Jesus said every branch that bears fruit He prunes to make it bear more fruit. So the next time God disciplines us and this isn't about punishment and justice, that happened at the cross when Jesus died for us.

Discipline is about teaching and learning and pruning so that we'll bear more fruit. So the next time God is discipling you and me remember there is a purpose that goes way beyond our desire for comfort and convenience. God has a plan and instead of flapping around and wondering what the blazes is going on, here is Gods advice.

Lift your dripping hands, strengthen your weak knees and make straight the paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather would be healed.

In other words, don't fight with what God is doing; go with what God is doing. Don't get your nose out of joint, don't worry or complain or grumble. Be healed. Now that, that my friend is wisdom that works.