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by Bible League International,
Narrated by Artificial Intelligence – Andrew,
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Scripture,
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:11–12 ESV
Devotional,
How difficult it is to accept this idea, especially at a young age. When I was 13 years old, a friend of mine stole some money from a neighbor. I, along with two other friends, discovered it. What we did was something I would not even think of today. After confronting our thief friend, we forced him to let us help spend the money. For about three days, we traveled one city to the next and ate, drank and had fun with the stolen money. On the fourth day, after we had spent it all, our friend—the thief—had been arrested. After a little pressure from the police, he admitted that we helped him spend the money.
I was not afraid of anything except my father. I was afraid of his rebuking word. I knew the confrontation was coming. The parents of the thief had called him, wanting me to return the money I spent. When he came home, my father addressed me with these words: Why did you do it? Have I not met your every need? Why should you spoil our image, your image? Do I not work every day and never take something that is not mine?
I had no words! I analyzed the words of my father and the consequences laid out in front of me. What had never happened, but I always expected could happen, happened. My father—for the first and last time ever—spanked my behind.
In the years to come, that type of punishment never happened again. And my involvement in bad company never happened again. That day, I didn’t think my father’s choice of punishment was right. I had not stolen the money, only benefited from another reckless child. That money would still have been spent and would not be returned to the owner with or without me. But today, looking back, I thank my father. Because of his rebuke, I learned to never take money I had not earned. I learned to stay away from a bad company, who in difficult moments, will abandon you and will make you complicit in their mistakes.
Our heavenly Father has shown His love for us, in that when we were still sinners he gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). There is no doubt in His love for us. Therefore, if He rebukes us, He does it out of love. He does it because He wants us to honor Him with a good testimony, whether it is a testimony in daily life, or when our faith is tested and brings us out stronger and in a greater relationship with Him, our heavenly Father.
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