I was just thinking to myself today that if I could just be disciplined in exercising on a regular basis, I could lose some weight. For a few minutes my mind focused in on that word: discipline. I began to ponder it. I started thinking of it’s meaning or should I say, meanings. That’s what I sat down and dazed off about for a few moments… the word discipline can be used to say I need to be steady at something, or it can be used to describe the correction of someone (more specifically in my thoughts, my children). As I continued to think these things through, it became clear to me the importance of that word, discipline, sharing two meanings. The two meanings go hand in hand. Now for me, I am applying this to my two young children because this is where my world is everyday – raising my boys.
I, as a parent trying to set my boys on the right path, need to be disciplined to discipline. I need to “be steady” at the “correction” of my kids. A random correction is never going to work, just like a random workout can’t shed the pounds. I need to continually show my children right from wrong in our daily situations. It can be in a slap on the hand, a time out in the room, or a simple conversation explaining why certain behaviors are expected, so long as I am continuous with setting the standard. This, I know from experience, is not always an easy task. Sometimes, after fussing for the tenth time, it’s seems easier to just let it go. And then I am concerned for their self-esteem and am I making them feel like they don’t do anything right, etc, etc, etc. We can trust the Holy Spirit with those things and ask Him to guide us. We must, however, stay steady in proving what is right and acceptable and pleasing to God. Be disciplined to discipline.
