Proverbs 12:1-2 

¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. ²Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.

Wonderful Message

         There’s community mail box next to our home. Even at midnight, people would check their mail boxes. Maybe, they are very excited to receive mail from someone else. What is the most wonderful message you have received, so far?

Together, let us seriously reflect on the wonderful message and warning of the Lord which is compressed in John 3:16-18, ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

         It’s wonderful to live with God eternally, but he also warns of condemnation for anyone who does not believe in the Son of God; it’s been decreed. Eternal punishment for wickedness practically proves that God is just. He does not want anyone to perish. He wants everyone to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

When we repented of our sins and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God forgave us; he adopted us into his family to live with him in heaven.

Together, let’s meditate on Hebrews 12:6, ⁶Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

         The term “discipline” is properly interpreted as instruction, correction or warning. It is also translated as chastisement, reproof, restraint and rebuke. God gives us instruction on how we may live his children. When we commit mistakes, he corrects and rebukes us. The Lord disciplines us because he loves, right?

1.  Discipline

         ¹Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.

         Interestingly, the wise or the stupid can be exposed through “discipline.” What is wise? It is wise to love knowledge, instruction and correction. What is stupid? It is stupid to hate correction, chastisement, reproof and rebuked.

         The Hebrew term that was translated to English word “stupid” is literally translated as consumed or burned by fire. If “stupid” is literally translated as consumed or burned, a biblical illustration actually happened in Numbers 11:1-3:

¹The people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. ²When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. ³So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.

         The Lord sent fire when the Israelites complained about their hardships, why? When they cried out to him for help, the Lord brought them out of Egypt. So when they complained about their hardship, just as they complained in Egypt, they implied that their life had not changed. They insulted the Lord. Stupidity is fatal and deadly. Has your life been better when you followed Christ as Lord?

It declares, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge.” Here’s biblical illustration happened in Genesis 37:2-3, ²Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.

³Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.

         What caused Jacob loved Joseph more than his other children? It was not mentioned but Joseph may have paid attention to instructions and corrections of Jacob. The dramatic story of Joseph practically illustrates children who respect their parents are blessed by the Lord. In comparison, his brothers disrespected their father Jacob when they devised wicked schemes against Joseph.

2.  Devise

²Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.

         The term “condemn” is literally understood as “sentence to death or find guilty.” Naturally, everyone is wicked. Condemnation for wicked schemes is godly warning for everyone. This godly warning against wicked schemes is not readily accepted in the world. Certainly, wicked people don’t read the Scripture because they don’t believe it; they despise it as expired ancient text. Unbelief had been prophesied in Daniel 12:10, ¹⁰The wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

         In comparison, whoever loves discipline, loves knowledge, instruction, correction and warning from the Lord, and obtains favor from the Lord. Anyone that the Lord favors is blessed The Lord blesses good people he favors.

The term “good” pertains to pleasant, agreeable and desirable to senses.

The Lord blessed good people because he is pleased. How can we please and obtain favor from the Lord? When we obey him, we agree that his discipline is favorable to us. Does favor from the Lord solve undetected trap or snare? Let’s reflect on what it says in Ecclesiastes 7:26, ²⁶I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare.

The wise King Solomon was trapped by his love for many women. Wisdom did not save him. Why? He was not totally obedient the instructions of the Lord.

In comparison, Joseph was sold as slave, but his hardship did not prevent him from prioritizing God. When Joseph was enticed by the wife of Potiphar, his master, he just escaped from her grasp. It was narrated in Genesis 39:6-12,

⁶ Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, ⁷ and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” ⁸ But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. ⁹ No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” ¹⁰ And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.

¹¹ One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. ¹² She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.

Subsequently, Joseph was imprisoned after he was falsely accused by the wife of Potiphar; but, it was God’s dramatic plan for Joseph to be Prime Minister of Egypt. When Joseph escaped the evil scheme of Potiphar’s wife, it practically showed that he paid attention to his father’s instructions and prioritized the Lord.

Let’s reflect on what it says in Proverbs 22:6 (Amplified Bible), ⁶Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it

         Parents: We are mandated to discipline and train our children to prioritize the Lord. We need to practice personally what we learn from the Scripture for us to understand better what and how we may teach children to prioritize the Lord. The Lord blessedly favors us when we prioritize him and obey his instructions.

         Together, let us sincerely meditate on what it declares in Psalm 145:20,

        ²⁰ The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

         Surely, we can only love the Lord when his Holy Spirit produces love in us. Love for God is proven when we prioritize him and obey the mission purposes he designed for us. Do we trust that the Lord prepared the best life experience we can ever explore? If so then, it follows that we should pray for guidance which practical step we should take and follow the path that leads to his great plan.

         Joseph was sold as slave; he was imprisoned for false accusation. Did he ever dream that he will become Prime Minister? Did he know that the hardships he went through were actually the practical path to the plan of God for him?

         When hardship of life shakes our faith, we ask ourselves if such hardship is harder than slavery or imprisonment that Joseph overcame. Intensity of trial equates to greatness God’s plan for us. Can you accept that?

Pray for stronger faith and obtain favor from the Lord; you’ll be blessed.

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