THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE

Time with Jesus - 4 Sept 2013

Hi All,

School discipline was strictly enforced back in the 1950’s. If you did something wrong, you knew all about it. You had a stripe on your “sit upon” for a day or two. A reminder of what would happen again if the action was repeated!

In Standard 7 (Grade 9) when I started in Walmer, I was a little behind in mathematics. As a result, my behind suffered. Our mathematics teacher was our School Principal. Among other things, he insisted we knew our geometry theorems. So he would set a couple of them for homework. We knew what was expected. The next morning he would start at the front row. He would ask each scholar to step up to the blackboard (In our case it was green). There the scholar was asked to prove the theorem. If you couldn’t do so, he told you to stand aside at the front. 

Then he would start with the next scholar. Slowly he would go, one at a time, through the entire class until everyone had a chance to finish proving the theorem and write QED next to what we had done. I was told it meant “quad, erat, demonstrandum”. Since I didn’t “do” Latin, I thought it meant “quite easily done”. Then, when my turn came and I managed to work through the theorem, my QED was written with something of a flourish. Even good old Pythagoras with his “squaw on the hippopotamus” was provable!

Those who couldn’t prove the theorem gathered together at the front. When we had all had a go, most of us were standing at the front. Then, mysteriously, from underneath his “brother’s habit”, he produced his cane. He then gave each of those who failed to prove the theorem a “master stroke” on their rear ends. It was a sort of memory-jogger for the next day! 

The Squaw on the Hipopotamus

He would mutter and splutter through the time of discipline, at the same time suggesting that we would have another “go” the following day. Did he enjoy administering discipline? We couldn’t quite work it out. He remained his usual congenial self at all times. Mind you, It never ceased to amaze me how quickly we all learned our theorems!

One of the facts we soon came to realise with Bro. Leonard was his consistency. There were very clear demarcation lines in his approach to us. Those who did what he had told them to do had no problems with him. Those who didn’t, suffered from the consequences of their stupidity. He was very approachable in spite of his apparent gruff manner. He was always patient and would listen to our “excuses”, then he would act according to what he thought was right. 

Some of the Brothers

I’ve mentioned it before but it’s worth repeating. He was a Roman Catholic who had become a member of Marist Brothers Teaching Order. In this capacity, he was highly qualified. I suspect he was a University graduate. Certainly these Brothers were very clever men. What they had done was devote themselves entirely to serving God and teaching schoolboys. From my point of view, it was and is a high calling! This was not merely a monastic, inward-looking exclusivity. The dedication of these men to God was never in question. They spent many hours in devotion and prayer. But this was not the limit of their commitment to God. They reached out to provide education for schoolboys. I shall be eternally grateful for their example and dedication in shaping the lives of young boys.

School Badge of
Marist Brothers Port Elizabeth

I attended Marist Brothers schools for 6 of my 12 years formal education. I was and still am a protestant. Naturally, many of my classmates were Roman Catholics. What surprised me was that the schools were open to youngsters from any religious background. In this regard they had a very ecumenical approach! No pressure was placed on anyone to join the RC church. 

The first lesson every day was Religious Instruction. The RC boys would assemble in one of the classrooms. The Protestants would assemble in a different classroom. We Protestants were given Bible lessons. Adam and Eve; the fall of man; Cain and Abel; Noah; Abraham and the Patriarchs; Moses and the Exodus; Gideon; Samson and the Kings. Then we moved on to the New Testament where we focussed on the birth, life and death of Jesus; the birth of the early church including Paul’s 3 missionary journeys. There’s no question my love of the Bible originated during those six years of “daily instruction” in school by the Marist Brothers.

In a way, the Brothers did much more than give Protestants a good grounding in the Bible. I suspect they also taught me to fear God! These men befriended the boys in a very special way. There was nothing questionable about their relationship with us individually or collectively. In all my six years with them, there was never any scandal or suggestion that the Brothers behaved improperly with any of the boys. Of course I can only speak for those in my class in my years. 

The Brothers did befriend us as best they could. We enjoyed this camaraderie. We loved it when they joined us on the sports field. When they dressed in the same “kit” and played rugby and cricket with us we thought it was great fun. Yet, at the same time, we always respected them. The relationship was more a father and son relationship. 

Because this was outside our own home life, it gave us an idea of how it should be between our Heavenly Father and ourselves. It was a valuable lesson for which I will always thank Jesus!

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 04 September 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE LORD’S DISCIPLINE
A couple of weeks ago I heard a rather funny story by a certain lady. She was dealing with her son. When asked about his will power, she said she wasn’t worried about his “will” power. It’s his “won’t” power that has her bothered. Phyllida and I have had some experience with this. Two of our sons lived with us in 1982. They were in the final year of Primary School and were sharing a room in our home. The boys were very different from each other. I’m not talking about being naughty. They were much the same as any youngster of their age. The difference was in their response to being asked to do something. The one would say he would do it, then didn’t. The other said he wouldn’t and a little later he did! This sort of behaviour is difficult to deal with! How do you discipline a son who says he will, then doesn’t? What about a son who says he won’t and then does? I know Jesus speaks about such a situation. It’s found in Matthew’s gospel. 28 "But what do you think about this (asked Jesus)? A man with two sons told the older boy, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' 29 The son answered, 'No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, 'You go,' and he said, 'Yes, sir, I will.' But he didn't go. Matthew 21:28-30 NLT It’s clear only one of them obeyed his father’s will. The other needed to be disciplined. How? We had to filter this through our own understanding. God doesn’t need that. He already knows. We know that Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. They said they would obey the Lord but didn’t. On the other hand, “sinners” said they wouldn’t (couldn’t?) and did. In many ways, this is typical of things which take place in our lives. Either way, our Heavenly Father will deal with us. We understand that delayed obedience is disobedience. So both required a measure of discipline. But the one who said “No” and did, will be dealt with less severely than the one who said “Yes” and didn’t. One of our main difficulties is we don’t have much time to waste. Our life-span is very short. Furthermore, in this interlude, we have to make choices that have eternal consequences. It follows that we need the Lord’s discipline here and now. We need Him to tell us if we are doing well or badly! We need His discipline to establish this conclusively. I’ve heard of a young man who was allowed to “run wild”. He was undisciplined. His anti-social behaviour ultimately landed him in prison. But if he had been disciplined as a child, the chances are that he would have been O.K. The discipline would have been in the child’s best interests. Is the Lord disciplining you? Rejoice if He is! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			7 Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later." John 13:7 MSG	None of us can comprehend the things the Lord does do. One moment everything is well. The next He’s telling you, That something you are doing is somewhat incorrect. Better have another look in order to detect, The reason for the problem. He is not amused. And as He’s looking at you, He says you are accused, Of something inconsistent with what is in His Word. Don’t you think the time has come to check out what you’ve heard? No it isn’t pleasant. In fact at times it’s tough. But He’ll increase the pressure until you cry “Enough! O Master, please forgive me, and help me get things right; So that my bad behaviour will end as from last night!” That’s typical behaviour between father and a son. He’d quickly show the problem with the things which I had done, And if it was quite serious, my dad would use his rod. That’s rather like that happens when it comes to you and God. He disciplines His children. His dealings may be sore. But He wants an assurance you won’t do it anymore. In fact, He steps up pressure, the longer that it takes. Until He sees you listening and decision to forsake, The thing He disapproves of. He starts with just a word; And ratchets up the pressure, ‘til He sees that you have heard. I’m glad the Father does this. If we are just ignored, Perhaps there’s something serious, between you and the Lord. We know the Father loves us when discipline takes place. If He doesn’t do so, you’re truly in disgrace. The one way we can know that we are objects of His love, Is when we know that discipline is coming from above. It happened in the Wilderness. The Lord said, “Go on in! Take the land I’ve given you, so go in now and win.” Instead they sent twelve spies out to investigate the land. Ten said we can’t do it the way the Lord has planned. The people were depressed about their negative report. Then God said their reactions meant they were getting naught. ‘Wander round the wilderness for almost forty years”. And that is just what happened, in spite of all their tears. So let us pay attention, to what the Father says. He will do the same to us, unless we change our ways. Do what we’re commanded, as soon as He has said. Or perish in the wilderness, left behind as dead. Jim Strickland Written 4th Sept 2012
			2 Remember that for 40 years the LORD your God led you on your journey in the desert. He did this in order to humble you and test you. He wanted to know whether or not you would wholeheartedly obey his commands. Deuteronomy 8:2 GW
			8 And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped My cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared My marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign LORD, and you became Mine. Ezekiel 16:8 NLT
			6 For the LORD disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child." Hebrews 12:6 NLT
			11 My child, don't reject the LORD's discipline, and don't be upset when He corrects you. 12 For the LORD corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12 NLT
			12 Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad--for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT
			17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT