Love Brings Discipline

We have a friend and neighbor who was being baptized this past weekend and invited us to come and celebrate that occasion with her. We had not been to the church she attends before (The Village Church) but I know a few people who attend there and I have a friend that knows their pastor (Matt Chandler) very well and has nothing but good things to say about him. So we loaded up all the kids Saturday night and headed up there.

There were four people being baptized that night and each gave their testimonies, which was really nice to hear, and then Pastor Matt spoke for a bit. He basically ran through some of their core values that they started the church with about four years ago. He ran through them pretty quickly as his time was limited by the baptisms and they were having communion that night, also. But he said something that caught my attention and the more I've thought about it, the more I realize that this one comment may change my entire being forever. He said, "Love brings discipline, but discipline never brings love."

I have come to realize that everything about me that I do not really like, besides all that corruption from a fallen world, can be summed up in that sentence. I focus on doing the right things because I am supposed to instead of doing the right things because I love Jesus. I discipline my children to "force" righteousness on them, so to speak. Do it my way whether you want to or not because I said to do it that way. But I believe that is the wrong approach and will end in failure of a kind. I need to discipline them in a way that is correction in love so that they will WANT to be obedient because they love me and want to please me, and they love God and want to please Him. I have not completely hashed this all out in my head but it has made an impact on me and is working on me.

When I mentioned this to my friend who knows Pastor Matt, he said that Matt would be there in the office (we work in a ministry) the next day and I should tell him this story.

Well, Pastor Matt came and my friend brought him to me and introduced us and told Matt that I had a story. I told it by stating that one sentence he said that night changed the foundation of who I am. He responded with, "Since Saturday?" Well, it's a work in progress. He was very gracious and accessible as far as standing there talking to me, someone he doesn't know at all who happened to attend his church one time to see a friend get baptized. He talked and listened and I appreciated him and his willingness to do so. I've known (and know) pastors of larger congregations that are not accessible at all. I understand that somewhat as they would be suffocated by their (fans) flock if they didn't put the cushion between them and the (fans) flock that they do. But I appreciate a pastor who is accessible and Pastor Matt was. Have I beat that horse enough?

Anyway, it is a work in progress but I am praying for it to be a permanent change in my character and a new direction in thinking for me. I like the idea and want to repeat my thanks to Pastor Matt for sharing it with me. I will try to share my progress/struggles/experiences of this attempted life-change as it goes.