“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.”
~ Proverbs 12:1
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you think that discipline is overrated? Do you think that your dad and/or ma are putting too much emphasis on discipline? What does discipline mean to you? Does the word discipline mean to you punishment or correction? Does the word discipline mean to you that you are in control of your daily tasks and life activities? Does discipline mean to you the pursuit of knowledge and living blamelessly? What do you think that life would be like for you if discipline did not exist? What keeps you from doing something that would be wrong to do? What has you wanting to explore each new day? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Who are your life teachers? Life teachers come in a variety of forms. Life teachers are dads, mas, educators, pastors, coaches, mentors, peers, . . . life teachers are magnificent panoramas, beautiful flora, intriguing fauna, an infinite cosmos, . . . life teachers are books, TV shows, computer programs, classroom lessons, . . . life teachers are successful and failed life experiences. Life teachers are punishments and corrections that tactically frame and strategically underpin life disciplines. The Proverbs Book is a compilation of different micro messages – with the vast majority of the macro messages being Solomon’s, with each micro message having a macro message for the need to always live a life that is disciplined or . . . even though the mini sermons – with the vast majority of the mini sermons coming from Solomon’s, have the sense of randomness, the same theme in most verses in almost every Proverbs Book chapter is of differentiating between what is and what is not a disciplined life. Proverbs 12 is a typical Proverbs Book chapter. Verse 1 is a typical Proverbs Book verse. This verse say, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” Your grandpaa knows that your dad and ma do not want the word stupid used in your home but . . . Solomon used stupid to describe a guy, gal or kid who refuses to learn from a punishment or from being corrected.
One of the very first things that your grandpaa did yesterday morning was to make a list of everything that he wanted to get done yesterday. Your grandpaa had on his list yesterday a James and Ellen to do. One of the very first things that your grandpaa wants to do every day is to do a James and Ellen. In order to do a James and Ellen every day, your grandpaa needs to practice the discipline of getting up early in the morning. Because your grandpaa has not been practicing the discipline of getting up early in the morning, your grandpaa has not been able to send every day to your dad via e-mail a James and Ellen for your dad to read to you. Because your grandmaa and grandpaa got back late the night before last from a weeklong trip to Texas – where your grandmaa and grandpaa spent time with the Adventures in Missions missionaries who are living in and/or near Harlingen, Texas and Matamoras, Mexico, your grandmaa and grandpaa did not have to go in yesterday to the Adventures in Missions office that is located in Gainesville, Georgia. Your grandpaa had on his list yesterday to water the plants that are in the house that he and your grandmaa are buying in Gainesville, Georgia. What do you think will happen to a plant that is not watered regularly? Because your grandpaa forgot to water the hydrangea that he now has in his office and because your grandpaa did not ask a guy or gal who works in the Adventures in Missions office to water the hydrangea while he was gone with your grandmaa to Texas and Mexico to spend time with Adventures in Missions missionaries, your grandpaa when he went into the Adventures in Missions office today found a very sad looking hydrangea because it had not been watered for a number of weeks. Your grandpaa also had on his list that he made yesterday morning was to put birdseed in the bird feeders and deer corn in a cutoff black container. If there is not any birdseed in the bird feeders, do you think that birds will come to the bird feeders that your grandpaa has behind the house that your grandmaa and grandpaa are buying so that your grandpaa can watch the birds through his binoculars? If there is not any deer corn in the cutoff black container, do you think that deer will show up behind the house that your grandmaa and grandpaa are buying so that your grandmaa and grandpaa can watch them?
Per Solomon, discipline is good. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, gives favors to guys, gals and kids who are intentionally doing good. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, condemns guys, gals and kids who are deliberately acting craftily or deviously. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, will root and establish good guys, gals and kids. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, will uproot and destroy wicked guys, gals and kids. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, is on the side of guys, gals and kids who faithfully listen to him. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, is not on the side of guys, gals and kids who perpetually lie. Per Solomon, when a guy, gal or kid pursues fantasies, does whatever for whim’s sake and makes plans to entrap another guy, gal or kid, he or she is to God – as God the Father, a dim-witted fool. When a guy, gal or kid pursues advice, does everything for the sake of other guys, gals and kids and desires to help other guys, gals and kids, he or she is to God – as God the Father, a delightful jewel. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, desires faithful diligence and trustworthy obedience. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, detests foolish deceit. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, pines for truth, prudence and nobleness. Per Solomon, God – as God the Father, is revolted by deception, indiscretion and laziness. Discipline is a key driver to be who God – as God the Father, has predestined and is forming you to be in His image.
Proverbs 12 (886)