We live in an age when people do not like to discipline their children. In fact, there is an entire generation of children, probably a couple of generations now, who have gone their entire childhood without a spanking. Their parents have been taught that spanking is abuse when, in actuality, not spanking your child when he or she needs it is abuse.
Not only is the withholding of discipline abuse of the one who needs it, but it’s abuse of those who will have to put up with that child when the believe they’re the center of the universe and the world owes them something.
Proverbs 12:1 states this perfectly and succinctly.
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
Whoever Love Discipline Loves Knowledge
Note that this verse does not say, “Whoever loves to be disciplines loves knowledge.” It does certainly include that, but the application is much broader. It refers to anyone who loves discipline, which means those who love to be disciplined as well as those who love to be the one to discipline. And it also means those who love to see others disciplined. Anyone who loves the process of discipline also loves its byproduct: Knowledge.
I do not mean to imply that discipline is like punishment. It is not. Far from it.
In fact, punishment is a retributive act that rewards an individual with negative consequences for a destructive action. While it is necessary sometimes to punish, punishment is a last resort and should always follow the exhaustion of every form of discipline.
Discipline simply means to train. Particularly, the idea behind discipline is to train an individual toward a Godly character. True discipline is a method of teaching others to discipline themselves so that the end result is Godly character.
It’s no accident that the root word for discipline is disciple. A disciple is a student, a follower, a protégé whose one aim is to be like his mentor, his master, his teacher. Jesus is our teacher and we are to imitate him. To love discipline is to love the knowledge of God. It is not something we shrink away from, but something the Christian leans into. Are you leaning?
Whoever Hates Correction Is Stupid
The inverse of loving discipline is hating correction. Have you ever bumped into someone who didn’t like being corrected? Every time someone suggested they were wrong about something they lashed out? Even when it is obvious they were wrong, they simply won’t accept it. The Bible says they are stupid.
Stupid doesn’t mean unintelligent. In this context, it means unwise.
2 Timothy 3:16 says:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The Bible is our guide to righteousness. It points to Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness.
If we are to ever have the mind of Christ, we must embrace discipline and welcome correction. Not as lords over one another, but as fellow brothers and sisters on the same path.
Do you love discipline or hate it?