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 pastor’s heart article from ggwo.org
Taking a Lickin’ 
by Pastor Thomas SchallerJanuary 22, 2007edited
Recently, while flying to Peru, I reflected on this Proverb: "He whospares his rod hates his son but he who loves him disciplines himdiligently" (Proverbs 13:24).Would it be wrong for God to discipline us, if He tells us to do so withour own children? The danger of any discipline is the possibility of aseed of bitterness growing up in our hearts. I've met people who haveturned away from God because of how they feel about how they havebeen treated. Hebrews 3 warns us "Take care, brethren, lest thereshould be in any one of you an evil unbelieving heart in falling awayfrom the living God"(Hebrews 3:12).Could we say that the believer's humility and walk of faith is testedwhen we are dealt the rod? In Hebrews 12, we read, "All discipline forthe moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful; yet to those whohave been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and theknees that are feeble and make straight paths for your feet so that thelimb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed,"(Hebrews 12:12-13).We are living in an age and culture where it is not positive to talkabout "taking a lickin'" in life. Life should be positive, successful, andhappy. This reminds me of the 400 false prophets who told Ahab whathe wanted to hear. I'd rather search for the Elijah or the Paul who livesa high quality life. Living high quality life teaches us that "beatings"are a normal part of successful living. These are not physical beatings,but rather "searchings of the heart."We may feel confused, ashamed, or guilty. We may fail in thepresence of our brothers. We may be ridiculed, derided, mocked,laughed at, teased, taunted, scorned, publicly embarrassed, or foundhopeless and helpless. We may be poor, abused, physically hurt andhave no permanent address (no certain dwelling place), but considerPsalm 141:5: "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness andlet him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not breakmy head."
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