WHEN WE ARE CHILDREN , discipline may come physically or verbally, and often comes as both. Our childish minds, intent on the object of our desires, cries out against this, and struggles within the imposed boundaries we do not understand. When adolescents, if the earlier discipline has been ineffective due to laxity or cruelty, or perhaps just to our stubborn nature, our resistance may grow into rebellion. So a negative pattern of life begins, with very predictable consequences to some of those around us, even as we remain oblivious. Warnings have not been enough, and object lessons from life are the only apparent remedy. Come they will, and they will undoubtedly be painful.
Discipline is hard to take, unless and until we begin to mercifully receive a view of its value in walking life in a measured pace. Moses, who had his own struggles with others and with God earlier, in a later period in life writes reflectively, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psa. 90:12) Paul, similarly, says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” (1 Cor. 13;11)
The journey from dark to light is walked out on the pathway of pain. If it was so for Jesus, and if we are his followers, we should expect the same. It’s just that way, and that ‘way’ is the way of the cross. The author of the Book of Hebrews looks at us with a stern gaze—not unkindly—and says matter-of-factly, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Heb. 12:4)
There are varying dates given for the date of this book, ranging from 63-64 A.D. to 70-100 A.D. The reference to shedding blood may be to Jesus, or to slightly later Christians, whose martyrdom began in Nero’s reign. But they accelerated in the turmoil of leadership after Nero’s suicide, and greatly so with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans A.D. 68-70.
In any case, the blood of the martyrs—the seed of the gospel—had begun. But not so for those addressed in Hebrews. Or not yet, anyway, but there seems to be a sense of impending inevitability, and while the author has no misconceptions about this, it is apparent that he thinks his audience is very lax. “You have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons.” (Heb. 12:5) That word of heartening, he says oddly to our ears, is, “do not make light of the Lord’s discipline; he punishes everyone he accepts as sons.” (Heb. 5b-6)
If we are new in our faith, beginners in our walk with Jesus, we might puzzle over this at several levels. But if we are long in obedience in an intentional journey with Jesus, we understand. We’ve been the puzzled beginner, and done the three-step sinner’s waltz of two forward, one back. That dance frequently offers a twisted ankle, so after a while we stop. We’ve been, and remain, the grind-it-out follow-the-rules no-matter-what person, even through the dry times, and this has been vital to establish our daily habits. And hopefully, somewhere along the pilgrim path, we’ve started resting in the Spirit, and added and expanded that part of our lives that is so necessary to level out the internal horizon. That’s pretty much the journey, and most of us go through all those steps if we stay with it.
The writer goes on, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” (Heb. 12:7-8)
In the rear-view mirror of life, we simply nod our heads at this. Peter asks, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Pet. 4:18-19) He, along with this author, also advises, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” (1 Pet. 2:11) We wonder if these intended readers understand that, while the harshest discipline is for sin, there are other strong disciplines that are meant for our growth. And they also can be unpleasant to us at the time we are going through them. “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.” (Heb. 12:10) We need reminding from time to time that this is a lifelong process. God is shaping us for eternal life in a redeemed but new cosmos.
The author goes on with a ‘therefore.’ Because of everything else that was said, “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” (Heb. 12:12-13) He seems inspired from Proverbs: “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” (Pro. 4:26-27)
Dancing has its place; it’s fun and it feels good in its time. So does sin, and we’ve been there before, and its meant to be put in the past. Running has its place, perhaps in sports, like a marathon, or out of fear, as in war. Life, however, is a long walk if we’re fortunate, and good walk if we’re blessed. And throughout all the steps, it’s good to be on a level path.
Q. Do I know where my footsteps are taking me?
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