Appetizer # 4 Discipline

# 4 Discipline - train: punishment to correct poor behavior

Already the majority of us who are reading this blog has some recollection of being punished for something we knew was wrong. And we can also recall how uncomfortable the punishment was at the time too!

I had a co-worker who told me a wonderful story about her cousin, who became pregnant in high school (not sure how old she was at the time). I'm guessing this was in the early to middle 70's era as well! When the young lady delivered the baby, she told her cousin how she thought her Mother would help her out with the baby and on occasion give her a break to sleep in, get the baby up so she could get ready for school, and other assistance she needed to care for the baby.

To this young lady's surprise, her Mother would wake her up about an hour before she normally got up to go to school so she could get the baby up, ready and fed before the baby went to a babysitter. When she got home from school, her Mother was hands off from doing anything that needed to be done for the baby. Interesting,  I also thought what a powerful message the Mother is teaching her daughter without saying any harsh words or making any hard remarks!

The Mother continued training her daughter by not doing anything that the daughter was supposed to do as a Mother. (of course, I'm sure she interacted with the baby) I understoood that the daughter stayed with her Mother until she graduated from high school and purchased a place of her own. I asked my co-worker did the young lady have anymore children after that; and the answer was NO! She said her cousin remarked years later, that her Mother, even though it was hard at the time (with a few tears) to continue her education, raise a child, and work. I said to myself, "What an act of Discipline that was, without any hard feelings, remorse, or loss of a Mother/daughter friendship".

Let God train you, for He is doing what any loving Father does for his children. Whoever heard of a son who was never corrected? If God doesn't punish you when you need it, as other fathers punish their sons, then it means that you aren't really God's son at all - that you don't really belong in his family. Since we respect our Fathers here on earth, though they punish us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to God's training so that we can begin really to live? Hebrews 12:7-9 (The Living Bible)

That is how our God is with us! He is not harsh or hard; however, He does allow us to go through things to train us for what He knows will benefit us later! So if you are being disciplined, remember good works are being instilled in you to come up higher, be better, and live a righteous life! Even through all the tears!