Day 12 – Read Proverbs 12
The Importance of Discipline
In college, I worked as a milkman. I was up at 2 a.m., delivering hundreds of pounds of milk, cottage cheese, butter, and ice cream to local restaurants. I'd regularly work 14-hour days. Organizing routes, placing orders, and providing high-quality customer service were critical parts of the job. Though I disliked this job, it provided me exactly what I needed at that stage of my life: discipline.
To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. – Proverbs 12:1 NLT
The Truth About Discipline
The word discipline gets bad press! Most of us are probably picturing yelling coaches, screaming drill sergeants, and parents commanding their children. But discipline can also mean training, instruction, or firm guidance that educates us to live in the ways of God. Far from the above stereotypes, the positive aspects of discipline are:
- To instill a proper fear of God (Proverbs 15:33).
- To gain a correct perception of self (Proverbs 15:33).
- To teach godly character (Proverbs 1:3).
The Benefits of a Disciplined Life
Imagine if singles, children, parents, and families were choosing wise actions, executing smart decisions, and acting reasonably toward others. We would avoid the wild fruits of foolishness—like being a slave to our poor decisions (Proverbs 19:27), causing grief to one’s parents (Proverbs 15:5), and even being judged as a fool (Proverbs 19:18).
Wise people choose discipline. If we're wise, we will accept God’s invitation for correction, knowing His correction is never retribution (Proverbs 22:6).
A Call to Choose Discipline
Friends, let’s be wise and choose a life of discipline. Like yeast to bread, training touches and enhances everything if we accept it.
And the good news is, Jesus forgives us when we lack discipline. He is abounding in love (Psalm 86:5), prepared to forgive, and He wants to help you get your life on track for the purpose of godliness (1 Timothy 4:6-7). Since God is for us, let's breathe in God’s grace and recommit to a life of discipline!
Dig Deeper
1. Pick one discipline and apply it to your life this week.
2. Jesus loves it when we confess our faults to Him. In what ways can you tell God your weaknesses, receive grace, and be empowered to choose discipline and hope for a bright future?
