WATCHWORD:
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and add to virtue knowledge; and add to knowledge temperance; to temperance add patience; to patience add godliness; and to godliness add brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness add love. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8
10 Does he who disciplines nations not punish? Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge? 11 The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile. 12 Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law. Psalm 94:10-12
Meditation:
Habits
When I was an infant, sleeping in a crib, I developed the habit a rocking myself to sleep. I carried that habit into early childhood and it bothered my parents to the point where they took me to a doctor who assured them that this habit would eventually go away. It took a while, but it finally faded away, although there are times, even as an adult, while I sleep, I rock (no puns, please). I wasn’t born with that habit, I had to “add” it, make it my own.
We all have behaviors that we may call habits, we were not born with. No one is born naturally or supernaturally with elements of our character, like habits, they must be developed as we mature. We may not be born with godly habits, but on the basis of our new life in Christ, we develop them through discipline that God exacts on us. God does not want His children to be perfect examples, but to be seen as exhibiting His gifts and graces in the ordinary moments of life.
Allen Jackson tells about breaking colts. Young horses are strong and you have to teach them how to behave so they don’t hurt people. They don’t like the discipline, they would rather remain out in the pasture doing whatever they wanted to do. In that regard, they are like us, it’s easier for us to keep living for our own desires than to learn the lessons of being godly.
God loves us, and scripture tells us in multiple passages, that because He loves us, He disciplines us. Read 2 Peter passage again and you get a sense of being guided by the hand of the Master to teach us the godly way He would have us walk. He’ll teach us new ways to think, about new priorities, how to serve others and He’ll teach us how to think of others above ourselves. None of that comes naturally.
We are not meant to be seen as bright shining examples of what God has created. Rather we are to be seen as people of God who exhibit the discipline, gifts and graces that God has bestowed. It is good to remember that His discipline is proof of His kindness, love and caring. Sometimes the only glimpse of Jesus people see is what we show them in the way we live our lives. May it be so.
Doin’ What Comes Naturally, from Annie Get Your Gun:
Folks are dumb where I come from,
They ain’t had any learning.
Still they’re happy as can be
Doin’ what comes naturally.
If you saw my pa and ma,
You’d know they had no learning,
Still they’ve raised a family
Doin’ what comes naturally.
Note: Godly habits don’t come naturally, they are developed through practice.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, your faithful discipline trains us well when we embrace it. We choose to respond with willing obedience that we might enjoy the peaceful fruit of righteousness that results from being your child. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
