Discipline

"Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all." - George Washington

"No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it." - Hebrews 12:11

We don't like to be disciplined. We like to say that we are disciplined people, but we rarely mean that. To be a disciplined people would require submitting to discipline, a virtue that, because of its very nature, we often try to avoid.

We try to avoid discipline because it's painful and often embarrassing. Discipline reminds us that we've done something wrong. It exposes our failures and insecurities - those areas of life we've not yet mastered.

Why are we disciplined? One the one hand there are the sadists who would discipline with a heavy hand at every foreseeable opportunity just for the sake of indulging their own sensibilities, but that certainly wouldn't fall into the virtuous form of discipline I'm talking about here. On the other hand, there is the discipline of an exceptional manager who does so for the sake of correction and fostering the professional growth and development of his subordinates. There is the discipline of a loyal and devoted spouse who desires the best from and for her husband. There is the discipline of a loving father that is useful for teaching and training.

Discipline - it hurts, it's painful, and we don't like it when we're going through it, but it matures and refines us. Good discipline is a healthy mix of love, correction, and a desire for our best.

"For the LORD disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in." - Proverbs 3:12