A New Thought on Discipline (as least for me)

“This is going to hurt me more than you.” I've heard this statement more often than I care to remember. It would come just before I was disciplined by my parents.

Like most kids, I never believed it. As a parent I completely understand it.

As a parent I know the real motivation for discipline comes from a sense of love and care for my boys. I want them to be well adjusted, respectful, smart, God fearing men when they leave my house. In order for this to happen, I need to discipline my boys appropriately.

Hebrew 12:6 tell us the same thing when it quotes Proverbs 3:12:

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as children? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his child.”

Its hard to think of discipline as being loving (Heb12:11). But what if it really is? What if God’s correction of our behavior, his punishment of our sin is to mold, shape and form us into something, or more accurately, back into something?

Think about this…

Genesis 1:26 tell us we are created in the image of God. Also, we understand sin to be a departure from the will and the character of God.

Sin has drastic affects on people, both physically and spiritually. Sin mutates humanity. It alters and changes us. Humanity is corrupted by sin.

What if God’s discipline is designed to restore the imago dei in humanity?

Through his discipline God seeks to return each member of humanity back into their originally intended pre-sin condition. Discipline, then becomes the hands of the potter pushing and pressing, molding and shaping the clay he loves in order to (re)create his vision for the clay (Jer. 18).

Discipline then becomes more about restoration than about the implementation of justice in response to a violation of the law.

Hmmm, an interesting thought.