Appreciating Discipline

Appreciating Discipline

Micah’s Mother

Read: Judges 17:1-6

Sally surveyed her family room, which looked as if a tornado had passed through it. She loved her sister and wished she could invite her over more often, but she couldn’t stand her niece and nephews for very long. Deana had never been very strict, and now she seemed to give in to whatever her kids wanted. It wasn’t enjoyable being around children who had no consideration for other people’s feelings and no concept of consequences for their actions.

Micah’s mother is an extreme example of a mother who spoiled her son. When someone stole eleven hundred pieces of silver she had saved, she pronounced a curse on the thief. After Micah admitted taking the money, she tried to replace the curse with a blessing from God. Instead of disciplining her son for doing wrong, she congratulated Micah on his honesty in confessing his crime. She even used part of the money to have an idol made to honor him. Micah and his mother lived during a period when Israel had abandoned God’s standards, but common sense should have motivated Micah’s mother to correct him when he stole money from her.

Sometimes we may wish that God would spoil us. Wouldn’t it be nice if he would overlook our lapses in judgment or bless our actions even when we choose to ignore his instructions and do things our own way? The Bible teaches that when God disciplines us, it’s a sign that we belong to him. Since we serve a holy God who wants us to become more like him, he has to deal with sin in our lives. Reaping the consequences of our sins may be painful, but in the long run it is beneficial. However much we want our own way, our heavenly Father loves us too much to let us get away with something that isn’t good for us.

Just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you for your own good.

Deuteronomy 8:5