Accept Discipline

My brother and I figured out how to use big boulders from the shores of our fishing site in Alaska to anchor our nets to the bottom of the sea. It required both of our boats to be linked together by a large triangle metal frame. In the centre of this frame, a winch was placed. We tied a strong nylon rope to the large boulder, then put the rope through the winch and tightened the rope until it was pulling our two boats down into the water. We waited for the tide to come in, and as it did, we hoped to lift the weight of the boulder off the bottom, by the displacement of the buoyancy of the boats. Then, as the waters became deep, we would steer the boulder to the right position for the net. The problem was, we had two skippers who didn’t always agree where the right position was. In order to get the placement right, one of us had to come under the other’s authority. Then, as both boats worked together, we were able to prepare the nets for the harvest to come.

As the younger brother, I needed to come under my older brother’s authority, even if I thought he was wrong. Sometimes in our struggle to get the boulder in place, we would put it in the wrong position and our net would be off, or astray. These nets wouldn’t work as well, and our harvest of fish was affected.

God has set people in your life who are over you. Submitting to authority only starts when you don’t agree. If you agree with what they say and do what they ask, that’s easy. With my brother, I was often reluctant to submit to his decisions, but when I did, I saw his wisdom. Accepting correction from those over you, whether parents, teachers, managers, pastors or anyone else, is not easy. We need to examine our heart attitude and be sure we’re in line with God’s will. This is choosing life.

God is the final authority in our lives. Yet sometimes we even hesitate to do what He’s asking us to do. What about when God has placed a fallible human being over you, in authority? What will you choose? The pathway to life, or to go astray?

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for placing people in my life to help me make good choices. Sometimes, Lord, it goes against my thoughts on the matter and it’s hard. I know You have only good in store for me and You’ve placed them in my life. Help me to submit to their authority, even when I disagree, so I can be on the road to life. Father, would You open my eyes to see what You’re doing, and give me a glimpse back, afterwards. Then I’d see the wisdom of those You’ve placed over me. God, You’re so good. Thank You for the care network You’ve placed me in. Amen.