Training Through Discipline

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have teen trained by it"- Hebrews 12:11 (NIV).

When you mention discipline you automatically think of children, but we know God disciplines us as adults, too. We are still God's children, whether we are 20 or 100-years old. I've noticed that many parents today delve out discipline that seems unpleasant, but rarely painful. That's been going on since parents were told they should never "hit" their children. That's what I heard as a young mother; however, I took the Bible's teaching and did not spare the rod (Proverbs 23:13). On one occasion, in a doctor's office, my 2-year old daughter kept climbing up the step stool to play in the water fountain. After scolding and removing her several times, without any change to her intent, I gave her a swat on her diapered bottom and sat her back down in her chair. A woman firmly grabbed my upper arm and told me, "You know, you should never hit your children." My upper arm could still feel those finger indentions, but my little one remained in her seat. Was I creating fear or respect? Maybe you should ask her today? I think it's healthy to have both. We fear and respect our Heavenly Father. God's discipline can be painful. We may not appreciate the discipline at the time, but righteousness and peace spring forth, a harvest resulting from His training.