Discipline Your Children

 "Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death." 

 Prov. 19:18 NIV

As a parent it can be challenging to know what is appropriate discipline for a child.  Some children are easily corrected with a firm word but other children can be very rebellious and oppositional. The Bible passage does not explain how to discipline our children but it does emphasize the fact that children need direction and boundaries.  It warns us that we could be partly responsible even for their death if we do not give them godly direction and discipline. Raising children would be easy if they always willingly followed our advice, but that is not the case.  Children are born with a fallen nature and so they naturally gravitate to selfishness and disobedience. Just as God disciplines his followers, we also need to remember that discipline is a necessary part of parenting.

Lord, give me wisdom in the area of discipline.  Help me to know how and when to set boundaries for my children.  You set boundaries for us because you know that your way leads to life. I pray that I will accept your discipline with a soft heart remembering how much you love me, and that your discipline is always to make me more like Jesus.

Take up Your Cross

 "Then he (Jesus) said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and pick up their cross daily and follow me.'" Luke 9:23 NIV

How different is this verse from the messages we get from our secular society. We are told to get what we want, when we want, no matter how it impacts others.  Even in many churches, this passage is glossed over and a prosperity gospel is preached.  We need to seriously look at the life of Jesus, and the apostles. For them, it was all about being servants and sacrificing for the good of others.  We get discouraged when "the peace that passes understanding" eludes us, but have we been dodging our cross?  The diligent obedience of Paul and his unselfish life lead him to a place where he could say that in "all things" he was content. The fruit of the spirit does not grow without an obedient, focused, unselfish heart.

Lord, we don't like to do hard things.  We think we deserve a happy, trouble free life.  We don't care about others as much as we could. Lord, soften our hearts to your love and let your spirit shine out of us to bless others. Help us to accept our cross, joyfully.