Extra Padding?

I don’t even remember what it was that I did that brought forth these words from my mom , “You just wait until your Dad gets home!” 

They were the words you never wanted to hear as a child.  Those words meant that you had pushed mom over the edge.  Those words spoken carried a promise that your behavior warranted much more then extra chores or a time-out as a punishment.  Those words carried a guarantee that when Dad did arrive home, you would be receiving a spanking. 

So I went through the rest of the day fearing the inevitable.  As the clock tick-tocked its way to announcing Dad’s evening arrival I felt my heart racing.  I did not want a spanking.  I sat and thought about how I could get out of it.  I already had tried to bribe mom by being on my best behavior and coaxing her to lessen the punishment by telling her how much I loved her.  None of it had worked.

Then it hit me – a genius idea of epic proportion!  If I could not get out of the spanking I would limit the pain of the spanking.  All I needed was a bit of padding.  I decided to put on every pair of underwear I owned and a pair of shorts.  After much pulling and tugging I finally was able to edge up my pants concealing my plan to lessen the pain, or so I thought.  In my childish reasoning I didn’t think that my Dad would catch on that my bottom had doubled in size overnight.  Desperation to avoid the consequences of my behavior overruled such reasoning.

I hid in my room as I heard the rumbling of his truck weaving down the gravel road.  I could hear my heart pounding as the engine stilled in the driveway.  I listened intently trying to hear the murmurs as mom and him talked and knew she was handing him the guilty verdict.

Then the dreaded words were uttered, “Tessy, get in here right now!”

I walked in carefully, trying not to waddle, as my extra padding was feeling a bit awkward with each step.  I was read my sentence and explained that for justice to be served I must incur my spanking.  I tried to act fearful so I would not bring suspicion to my altered area.   Time seemed to still and I wondered if I had layered enough when I heard a restrained snicker.  I turned to see my Dad holding in tremors of laughter as he attempted a stern reply, “What did you do?”

I looked up at him, unsure whether the laughter would last, knowing that my plan was spoiled.  With tears in my eyes I confessed all.  Needless to say I did get out of a spanking that day.

I tell this true childhood story, which is a bit embarrassing; to illustrate a point that discipline can be painful.  Hebrews 12:11 reads “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

As I child I was so afraid of the pain that discipline would bring that I went to extreme measures to get out of it.  The discipline that I want to talk about today is the discipline from your Heavenly Father.  Let’s read a bit more in Hebrews “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” (vs. 5-7) 

Enduring hardship as discipline?  Now that is a tough cookie to swallow.  Keep in my mind that it comes with a promise.  In the midst of the hardship we must not lose sight of that promise.  It will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace. Hebrews 12, verse 10 goes on to say – “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.”  All discipline, all hardships are ultimately for our good, whether we understand it or not.  Many times it leads us to a deeper dependence on God and allows us to share more intimately in his holiness. 

I just wonder how many of us try to skip out on God's discipline in our lives and try to “pad” ourselves from the pain.  We question the hardship and feel punished, instead of seeing God as a loving Father, drawing us close.  In this we reject the training and the peace that can come from it.  Or maybe you are like me and try to make light of it excusing the need to change.  If we took the rebuke to heart it would cost us something.  Something we may not be willing to give up.  If we take this route, we can really miss it, for there is a Godly goodness in discipline.  A gift that draws us closer to Him in the midst of our hardship and pain.

I encourage you to find the perspective of truth shouting from the words above.  The perspective of a loving Father who knows what is best for you.  Lately, for me, focusing on that promise has helped me to endure with a purpose that far exceeds human capacity.  I pray that it will do the same for you.