Several years ago I had two experiences that gave me a new appreciation of discipline. I was assigned to teach a Sunday School class of preschoolers. After the first several sessions I felt like a failure. Although I loved the children, and we had occasional moments of joy and discovery in learning God's Word, much of the time was taken up in discipline. "They aren't learning much about God," I lamented to the superintendent. Her reply impressed me. She said, "The first lesson is discipline. Without self-control, they can't learn anything."
During this same period I visited a women's prison as a chaplain. Several women told me that the reason they were in jail was that they couldn't control their actions—they couldn't help doing what they had done. I remember remarking to one of them that we can control actions only by controlling our thinking. She answered, "Oh, I've never been able to control my thinking." I'll tell you, that sent me back to my Sunday School class motivated! I had regarded discipline mostly as an unfortunate necessity applied at the point of exasperation, and often anger. I needed to think of it more as persistent, patient teaching of the valuable quality of self-control. I loved those children and wanted them to learn the precious lesson of self-government that would keep them free.
You could say that much of the Biblical history of the Hebrew people shows them learning about God's law and the need for self-government through obedience to His law. They found out that their thoughts and actions had consequences. When they made the right choices and let God govern their motives and conduct, they were blessed. When they turned away from God, unhappiness resulted. Even though they had wonderful leaders in Moses, Joshua, and many others, no one could really make their choices for them. But the leaders could explain the law to them, show them the consequences of their choice, and strive to enforce the law.
