Putting the "disciple" back into "discipline"

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) 

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 exhorts us fathers to disciple our children “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Isn’t this hard when the kids are absolutely on your nerves? It makes me crazy, and I justify my strong and curt reactions and demands as worthy discipline. However, have you ever noticed that the word “discipline” comes from the same root as the word “disciple”? Isn’t that was being a father really is – being a disciple to our children in the ways of the Lord?

The purpose of discipline is always to instruct and to bring growth in a godly direction. Even when we do exercise appropriate correction, it shouldn’t be for the sake of punishment, but to bring about repentance, a change of heart, and a turning back to God and his righteousness.

Let’s challenge ourselves as fathers to put the disciple back into discipline.

Author: Ryan Rimington