Hebrews 12:7-9

"Bear hardship for the sake of discipline. God is treating you like sons and daughters . . . . But if you don't experience discipline, which happens to all children, then you are illegitimate and not real sons and daughters."

Reflection by Anthony B. Robinson

Amy Chua struck a chord with her best-selling book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, in which she described the seriously exacting discipline by which she raises her own children. Chua challenges a culture or parents that seldom say "No," and which, at least sometimes, appear to produce children who are entitled but clueless.

Today's reading from the Letter to the Hebrews is all about discipline. God disciplines God's sons and daughters. The message is that God's discipline is an expression of God's love.

For human parents that's the trick and the challenge. Love without structure or limits, guidance or correction—that is, without discipline—isn't particularly good for children and other living creatures. Call it "sloppy agape." But on the other hand discipline without love isn't a good thing either. Call it, as Paul does, "clanging cymbals, noisy gongs." Without love, discipline veers toward harsh, punitive and self-justifying.

Love and discipline, holding the two together, is the challenge.

It's also a challenge in the church. There used to be sections in the by-laws of many churches headed "church discipline." Mostly, those sections have disappeared. Maybe that's a good thing? But still, there's a place in the church for limits on behaviors that do damage to people or to the church as a whole. There's a place for saying gently but firmly, "I'm sorry, that's not how we do things here." And increasingly, it seems there's a need to face and curb adult bullying in the church.

Discipline isn't necessarily the opposite of love; it can be an expression of it.

Prayer

Holy One, grant me grace to discern when hardship is your loving discipline, and to hear what you are trying to say to me. Amen.

About the Author Anthony B. Robinson, a United Church of Christ minister, is a speaker, teacher and writer. His newest book is Stewardship for Vital Congregations, published by The Pilgrim Press. Read his weekly reflections on the current lectionary texts at www.anthonybrobinson.com/ by clicking on Weekly Reading.

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