For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie.
If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.  (Habakuk 2:3, English Standard Version)

 ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22 – 23, English Standard Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline and Development

Reflection:

In my life’s journey, practicing patience has been key to my development. I continue to practice patience because my journey is one that is not without its challenges.  As a result, patience has become a strength in my faith walk. I want to look at the definitions of discipline and patience to illustrate the fact that these two terms are two sides of the same coin. In fact, one cannot be fully understood without the other.           

Discipline is defined as “the intentional training of one’s mind and body to remain steady, focused and committed in the face of challenging situations, circumstances, and people.” Discipline adds structure to life to guard against distractions that can veer us off course.

Patience is defined as “the spiritual ability to endure discomfort, delay, or difficulty without losing composure, faith and peace”.

If discipline and patience are two sides of the same coin, then the spiritual discipline of patience is one priceless component!  It’s a divine currency used to hold oneself steady and still in faith; helping to avoid acting out of frustration, anger, or haste.  This allows quiet trust in God‘s holy timing while intentionally waiting, poised with His power, and working with discipline towards your goals.  And, He’s not just working on the promises, He’s working on you!    

Conclusion:

If the outcome of your disciplined efforts “seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come!’  You are not forgotten!  You are not behind!  You are right on time!  How have you developed through patience?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Contributor: Dr. Toni Mayers-Winfield

¹ Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. ² Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ³ He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. ⁴ Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. ⁵ Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.  (Deuteronomy 8:1 – 5, New International Version)

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:1 – 11, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline in the Desert

Reflection:

In Scripture, the desert is often a place of physical and spiritual testing.  Ecologically, the desert environment is harsh.  Metaphorically, the desert tests our trust in God. 

In our Scripture passages today, we observe two contrasting desert stories.  In the first passage, the Children of Israel are reminded about their experience in the desert where they were tested for forty years.  Unfortunately, the Israelites failed on multiple occasions.  They grumbled about the supply of food (Exodus 16) and water (Exodus 17), longed for food from Egypt (Numbers 11), worshipped idols (Exodus 32), and failed to trust God in general (Numbers 14).  The indiscipline of the Children of Israel was consistent with their inability to take God at His word.

In our second Scripture passage, Jesus was tested after 40 days and 40 nights of fasting.  Unlike the Children of Israel, Jesus honors “every word that comes from the mouth of God.”  Jesus rebuffs the tempter with what “is written” in Scripture, even quoting directly from Deuteronomy.   

Conclusion:

Jesus demonstrates that it is possible to be disciplined in the desert.  Jesus is the perfect model for being victorious even under the harshest conditions.  There is so much we can learn from Jesus in the desert.  What stands out to you? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Contributor: Norman Christie

 ¹¹ While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. ¹² He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. ¹³ So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’  ¹⁴ “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’  ¹⁵ “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.  ¹⁶ “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’  ¹⁷ “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’  ¹⁸ “The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’  ¹⁹ “His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’  ²⁰ “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. ²¹ I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’  ²² “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? ²³ Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’  ²⁴ “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’  ²⁵ “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’  ²⁶ “He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me.’” (Luke 19:11 – 27, New International Version)

⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  (2 Timothy 4:7 – 8, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline and Destiny

Reflection:

How does our conviction about our destiny impact our actions?  Do we give serious consideration to the return of Jesus and judgement?  The field of theological study that focuses on the question of our destiny is eschatology.  While the topic may appear esoteric, our Scripture passages today reveal the relevance and importance of our conviction about our destiny.

The parable in Luke has many important lessons.  One of them is the fact that the servants who believed the king would return made good use of their mina.  They were disciplined in their quest to use their mina wisely.  In contrast, the servant who viewed the return of the king skeptically was anything but disciplined.  He kept his mina in a piece of cloth and was judged accordingly. 

In the passage from second Timothy, the Apostle Paul labored with discipline in anticipation of the return of Jesus.  Like the faithful servants in the parable, he believed that his destiny was tied to a returning king who would reward him for diligent service.

Conclusion:

Our view of our destiny impacts our actions!  Does our commitment to be a disciplined disciple demonstrate a strong belief that Jesus will return to judge humanity?  How does your belief in your spiritual destiny impact your actions? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Contributor: Norman Christie

⁶ Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! ⁷ It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, ⁸ yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. ⁹ How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? ¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— ¹¹ and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6 – 11, New International Version)

 ²⁷ “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! (Luke 12:27 – 28, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline and Daisies

Reflection:

In pursuit of a disciplined lifestyle, how do we reconcile our own efforts with our need to trust and depend on God?  The Bible provides wise counsel in the two passages of Scripture we are considering today. 

The passage in Proverbs draws our attention to the ant.  The ant epitomizes disciplined effort and reminds us of the value of hard work.  God has given us the ability to acquire current and future needs through the disciplined use of our skills and abilities.  He expects us to use what we have been blessed with and not be lazy. 

The passage in Luke draws our attention to a wildflower (e.g., a beautiful daisy).  The wildflower relies on what its environment provides, and epitomizes an inescapable dependence on God.  God cares about His creation, and His ability to supply all that we need is unrivaled. 

Conclusion:

The disciplined acquisition of our needs using our skills and abilities is to be applauded.  However, we must be mindful of our limitations and trust God to be the ultimate supplier of our needs.  We can work like the ant, but we must always have the trust of the daisy!

What are some of the pitfalls of laziness on one hand and overreliance on our efforts on the other hand?  Do any biblical examples come to mind?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Contributor: Norman Christie

¹ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.  (Psalm 1:1 – 2, New International Version)

 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8, New International Version)

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline and Delight

Reflection:

Self-discipline is often associated with uninspiring activities such as denial of desires or mundane work.  There is nothing wrong with those associations, but there is a lot more to discipline than “tough it out” connotations.  The blessed man in Psalm 1 brings this point to life.  He is an individual that has found a source of pleasure in the word of God.  The Hebrew word that is translated as “delight” is “chephets.”  Chephets signifies a strong inclination or pleasure in something.  In the three Scripture passages above, I see pleasure arising from a positive choice, not from serendipity.  It is a choice with positive results.  If we choose to taste what God has on offer we find that it is good. If we choose to be in God’s presence we are filled with joy and eternal pleasures.      

Conclusion:

We have the capacity to associate discipline with pleasure.  As reflected in the Psalms, we should prayerfully delight ourselves in God’s word and presence.  How does the word of God bring you pleasure?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Contributor: Norman Christie

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.  (Genesis 2:2 – 3, New International Version)

¹⁴ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. ¹⁵ Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. (Deuteronomy 5:14 – 15, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline and Downtime

Reflection:

New appliances and automobiles are typically sold with a manufacturer’s warranty.  To preserve the warranty, there are prescribed operating and maintenance instructions.  Especially if the items are expensive, people tend to pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions.  No one willingly tries to invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty by disobeying the instructions.  Do we pay attention to our manufacturer’s instructions for us?

Our Scripture passage from Genesis points out that God established the Sabbath.  “Shabbat” literally means “to cease” or “to rest” in Hebrew.  The Scripture passage from Deuteronomy makes the clear link between the Sabbath and rest.  The Sabbath is the topic of many theological debates.  However, our focus here is limited to God’s prescription for rest.  

So much of our identity is associated with all the things we do.  We are a society always on the move.  I will admit that rest for me was linked to laziness, but Scripture passages such as the two above, and the story of Martha complaining about Mary leaving Martha to do work by herself have taught me otherwise.   

Conclusion:

Since God is our creator, the discipline of resting should be high on our priority list because God prescribes rest.  What are we so busy doing that is preventing us from resting our bodies, minds, and souls?  Where does rest as God prescribes it rank on your priority list?  Does your ranking align with God’s prescription?  I would love to hear from you.

Contributor: Bridget Jeffries

Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues. (Proverbs 10:19, New International Version)

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.  (James 1:26, New International Version)

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. (Psalm 119:37, New International Version)

 I will not look with approval on anything that is vile.  I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it. (Psalm 101:3, New International Version)

Theme:  The Wisdom of Discipline

Title:  Discipline and Discretion

Reflection:

Discretion is defined as “the freedom or authority to make decisions and choices.” (Collins Dictionary).  On the highway of life, at the intersection of discretion and discipline, wisdom is essential.  The Bible often uses parts of our body to encourage us to be disciplined when making daily choices.  Today we will use the tongue and the eye to illustrate this point.  However, we could just as easily use other body parts such as the ears, hands, and feet. 

The tongue is symbolic of the way we communicate, and the Bible has a lot to say about the disciplined discretion we should exercise.  Both of our Scripture passages today remind us that a loose tongue is not consistent with obedience to God.  Of course, in our computerized world, emails, social media posts, and other forms of electronic communication require the same type of discipline prescribed for the tongue.

The eyes are often symbolic of our focus and priorities.  Our Scripture passages today remind us of the daily choices we have to focus on worthy things or worthless things.  This choice is complicated by the vast amount of money being spent by advertisers to convince us that worthy things are worthless and worthless things are worthy.  We must be disciplined and fix our eyes on Jesus.

Conclusion:

The words of advice we see in Scripture regarding the tongue, eye, and other parts of our body are constant reminders of the discretion we have every day to make wise and disciplined decisions.  Do we speak words that lift people up or tear them down? Do we focus on things that build our character or feed vain ambitions? We are constantly making choices like these, and the sum total of these decisions impact our growth and testimony.  How can we remain vigilant about making wise decisions?  I would love to hear from you.

Contributor: Norman Christie