This is a very humbling verse. Why? Because according to this verse I’m stupid. To admit stupidity is a humbling thing. It is an all to common thing for me and it is always humbling. He who hates reproof is stupid. Nothing subtle about that. I don’t like to be reproved or corrected. I do not love discipline. But there are things that I do love. I love my wife, I love to spend time with her, talk with her. I look forward to those times. I must admit, the thought of spending a nice quiet evening around the fire with “discipline” does not elicit the same feelings as spending that time with my wife. Discipline and reproof are not my idea of a good time. Discipline can be painful, restrictive, humbling, corrective, frustrating and that is why we are all tempted to despise it. Hebrews 12:5-8
To help us see what the writer is saying I think we need to move past seeing "love" as having romantic undertones in this verse. To love something is not necessarily to be attracted to someone so you can spend time with them. To love can be to see the value in something. We love money because we see the value in it, we see what it can do. In this case to love discipline means to see the value in discipline. To see the value in discipline means we see the value in knowledge. I do not like to be corrected but I see the value in it. It is humbling to be confronted about an action or something said, but if I long to grow in Christlikeness I see the value in it.
Do you long to grow in holiness? Do you long to know more of God? Do you long to be used by God? If so you will see the value, (love) of discipline. We cannot grow without it. We cannot learn obedience without it.
The person who hates reproof is stupid. He sees no value in it. He wants to be left alone, he’s not interested in anyone’s opinion but his own, he despises reproof and instruction. It’s a “don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up” attitude. How foolish to go through life so proud that you have no time for instruction or correction. Proverbs calls this person a "fool".
If we long to be wise, if we have a heart that fears God and longs to know him and follow Him we will love discipline. We will see the value of correction. Not because it is enjoyable or “fun” but because it is helping us understand and know Him whom we truly love Jesus Christ. It is helping us grow in His likeness. So if God sends someone into your life with a correction or you experience some pain because of a sinful choice see the value in the pain. Don’t critique the messenger. "He wasn’t loving or caring but rude so I'm not going to listen to what he said". Learn to love discipline, learn to see the value in it regardless of how it is administered or how lovingly it is carried out. Sometimes God can teach us some very valuable lessons through some very unlikely sources. Sometimes God even uses our enemies to discipline us. Their motivation is to hurt us, there tone is harsh and their words are sharp as daggers. If we are wise we will see past all that to see if there is any truth in those harsh, piercing words. If so, as much as it hurts, we will receive it and learn from it and repent because we see the value (we love) of discipline.
Ask God to help you to have a heart of wisdom. We are all hard wired to hate reproof because we are hardwired to be selfish and proud. However In Christ we are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 We need to humbly come into God's throne of grace when we have experienced discipline or correction saying, "Thanks, I needed that." That was a good thing, sent for a good purpose by a loving and good God. Psalm 51
“Lord today, please help me not to be stupid. Help me to love discipline, because I love You and want to know you more each day. "
No comments:
Post a Comment