This morning I have been reading in Hebrews 12, and letting God's word soak into my soul. I am aware of my need to spend more time reading The Word, so I am endeavouring to increase my time reading and reflecting. The verses that I am reflecting on this morning are as follows - Hebrews 12:7-13 NASB:
[7] "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. [11] All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
[12] "Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, [13] and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed."
Now the NIV version translates this differently speaking of enduring hardship as discipline, which seems to twist the meaning slightly out of context to me. Immediately on reading the NIV version, one feels that God is causing the hardship to enable discipline, and thus colors the discipline with a dark taint. The NASB version (shown above) doesn't elicit in me the same perspective.
The word the author used, that has been translated discipline is the the Greek word paideia, which is defined as follows:
1) the whole training and education of children (which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose now commands and admonitions, now reproof and punishment) It also includes the training and care of the body
2) whatever in adults also cultivates the soul, esp. by correcting mistakes and curbing passions.
a) instruction which aims at increasing virtue
b) chastisement, chastening, (of the evils with which God visits men for their amendment)
Now we know from the context of the following text that the author is using this to refer to children, as sons and daughters, not as adults, so when we read this section we should understand the use of discipline purely as definition 1 above. Secondly, since the definition refers to training and education of children, we should think of education under the best teacher, the one who knows us perfectly, and understands even our inner thoughts, Holy Spirit. The VAST majority of this education and training is positive in focus and results, the purpose and goal is to help us mature and grow in knowledge and understanding. Tests are to help us and our teacher understand what we have learned. Tests can actually be fun if you totally understand your material, and are meant to be encouraging in that perspective.
I remember one time my son got back his Missouri Standardized Testing Results and was feeling bad about his scores. He was in the 5th grade at the time, but He didn't fully comprehend what the scores meant. When I explained to him the fact that he was doing math and reading at levels similar to highschool students (grades 10-12), he suddenly went from feeling discouraged, to feeling REALLY good about himself.
It seems to me that the purpose of our discipline (education and training) is to allow each of us to mature fully into trusted adult sons and daughters of God. As each of us is unique, I believe that each of our trainings is unique to some extent as well, a Holy Spirit crafted individual learning plan. He is about raising all of us to represent Him, and He is primarily a God of love and compassion! He wants us to be able to represent Him to others, and walk along others as they go through discipleship. Any punishment that I have ever received was not so much punishment as having to redo work in a particular area.
If we think about school, any time we get a failing grade in a particular subject that is meant to provide evidence of the need for repeating that subject or subject area! We don't receive beatings for failing a spelling test (at least I never did) and I don't see God the Father ever using such methods with me, in any area of failing. He is about growing me and training me to faithfully represent Him to those I encounter, helping them to understand what they are experiencing and providing insight into how God works in our lives. As the author writes above, "He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness."
Finally, the author finishes this section with a strange bit on strengthening hands and knees that are feeble, and making straight paths for our feet. Again, we tend to think education is just about the mind, but we are triune beings, beings comprised of body, mind and spirits, and God's education system doesn't just focus on one part of us to the exclusion of others. Holy Spirit, really does want to teach us in all areas, and desires that we mature and grow and develop well balanced in all areas. When I read this statement, I am envisioning those of us that grew up under poor teaching, where only certain parts of the Gospel were preached, and thus our development was out of balance. We need proper education and focus to strengthen the weaker areas! There are certainly some who have become so focused in one area that they have become disjointed, or out of proper alignment, which affects all their thinking and actions. The Lord would have us healed and balanced, and He will help us.
So this morning, I am encouraged in my life to listen closely to Holy Spirit as He guides me and directs me. I am encouraged to listen and to embrace His direction, knowing full well that His purpose is to enable me to grow into a mature son, one who can be entrusted with greater responsibility and authority. I am encouraged to endure discipline, just like I endured through math class, trig, algebra, chemistry and even phy-ed. All of these classes were designed to aid me in growing in my education, and how much better is the Holy Spirit at personally crafting an individual learning plan just for me!
Amen!
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