DISCIPLESHIP AND DISCIPLINE

From “Discipleship and Discipline” by William H. Hicks, copyright March, 2005:

“BALANCING”

“”An important aspect of balancing for a disciple is being able to order one’s priorities. A disciple should “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, (knowing that) all these things (those things needed to fulfill one’s role as a disciple) will be added to you.” It is clear that circumstances will change for a disciple and he/she will have little or no control over those changes- what they may be or when they may occur. How then does a disciple exercise discipline under these conditions? In Philippians 4: 11 – 13, Paul the Discipler says, “…for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.””

From “Discipleship and Discipline” by William H. Hicks, copyright March, 2005:

“We are encouraged to strike a balance in our lives. Not a balance between good and evil. We are admonished to shun evil and pursue good. We will be tested; we will not do the testing. That is in the hands of God. Change will occur; our task as disciples, having been made ready, is to be prepared to face the change; to move about upon the balance beam of life with strength, flexibility and creativity. To glide and jump and swirl and spin with the grace of a figure skater upon the slippery surface of our existence with all the Grace that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit- with dignity, respect, faith; faith so that when we jump to execute that triple toe loop (because it is in the program of our life), then we can have confidence that we can land it and that the ice will be there to catch us when we come down. “… and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; For in Him (God) we live, move and exist…””

From “Discipleship and Discipline” by William H. Hicks, copyright March, 2005:

BALANCING

“Ever gone to a party and ate too much and got sick? Drank too much and got drunk? Proverbs 25: 16 says, “Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, lest you have it in excess and vomit it.” Sometimes finding balance in your life can be an unpleasant- though unforgettable- experience. Dr. John, a rock musician of some notoriety, once wrote, “I been in the right place, but it must have been the wrong time.” This same Dr. John also wrote (in the same song, no less!) “I done said the right thing, but I must have used the wrong words”. Ecclesiastes 3: 1 – 8 says “There is a season, an appointed time for every event under heaven-…” Ecclesiastes 8: 6-7 makes us understand that “…there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.”

In I Corinthians 13: 1 – 3, the spiritual principle of balancing is described as it applies to our motivations. Paul contrasts God’s agape love with eros, physical love, and phileo, brotherly love. God’s agape love is an unselfish esteem for us, a love given without regard or thought for a receipt of the same in return. Agape is its own motivation. Eros and phileo must be fed by return of this affection; otherwise, it may turn into obsession, or simply, die. We believers should love even as God loves, with a selfless regard for the object of our affection without looking for a “return on our investment.” In verse three, God teaches us that philanthropy and martyrdom without love are egotistical, self serving and unprofitable towards the building up of Christ and God’s kingdom.”

From “Discipleship and Discipline”, by William H. Hicks, copyright March, 2005:

“BALANCING
We come now to the fourth element of discipline, that is Balancing. Most of us have watched in rapt fascination the maneuvers of a gymnast on the balance beam or the grace of a figure skater moving across the ice. Key attributes of their ability to perform are nimbleness, staying upright, blending strength with flexibility and creativity. If you have ever participated in any athletic endeavor, you probably had to select the appropriate footwear essential to your ability to perform, whether the appropriate spikes on the track, baseball diamond or soccer field, or sneakers- flexible, soft-soled shoes- on the basketball or tennis court. Ever notice that if your shoes are tied too tight, your feet hurt, you can’t play well? Recall Jesus’ running discourse with the Pharisees who insisted on prioritizing their michmash, their rabbinical traditions, over the truth in the Word of God. These guys counted every speck of dill and cumin as they made their offerings to God, neglecting the weightier matters of the true Spirit of the Word. “Beware the leaven of the Pharisees!” Ever notice that if your shoes are tied too loosely, you lose the benefit of having them on, you can’t play well. There is no room in the disciple’s life for dabbling in sin, disobedience, and licentiousness. These evidence a lack of discipline. These examples convey a key concept of this fourth element of discipline: managing change in your life (balancing). Dr. Peck wrote that growth = change; there is no growth without pain/discomfort (“The Road Less Traveled”). Growth occurs only when one is already dedicated to the truth; honesty is the predicate to growth. God’s Word is the mirror that gives us a ‘truth’ picture of ourselves (James 1: 22 – 25). Richard Hooker wrote, “change is not made without discomfort, even from worse to better.” But we are encouraged to know that change is inevitable because God is sovereign. Since He is large and in charge, since He is in control of His universe and His will be(ing) done, it is our task to respond to the changes in our behavior that His sovereignty makes inevitable. “Thus, management of organizations (like households and churches), families and the management of ourselves requires a balance between change and continuity.”-Mark Mendenhall, J. Burton Frierson Professor of Business Leadership at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.”