Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
(Hebrews 12:11, NRSV)
Discipline— the word stared me in the face as I dove into Hebrews 12 last week. In my head, I played through every scenario of abusive parents and pharisaical churches administering punishments meant to shame rather than nurture. I knew our group would contain survivors of such situations, so we gave a disclaimer at the beginning of last night’s Brews & Hebrews:
When the author speaks of discipline in this chapter, there’s an assumption; this is a kindhearted discipline, a discipline meant for betterment. This discipline doesn’t pump up the one administering it, nor does it shame the person undergoing it. This is not punishment. We also shouldn’t assume every bad experience is God’s discipline; discipline is something you recognize in hindsight, and even then, proceed cautiously! We’re not here tonight to rationalize our pain, but we may look for God’s movement to redeem our pain and walk with us through it.
With this disclaimer on the table, our group shared story after story last night of times where discipline shaped us and the people we love. We reflected on parents and mentors, some of whom had been staunch in their discipline and some of whom had been lax or inconsistent. I recalled an experience where my grandfather had sent me to my room, but he didn’t just let me stew in there; he went with me and talked me through why I was in there. Stories like this helped us identify a recurring theme: effective discipline (the kind which helps us become better people) should impart feelings of value and worth, not shame.
While talking about parents and mentors came naturally to us, it was far more difficult to talk about God’s discipline. Brave members of the group shared stories of trying life experiences where, in hindsight, they could see God helping them grow through the process. Ultimately, an image from C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books proved helpful.
—Spoilers ahead for a 65-year-old book—
C.S. Lewis’s third Narnia book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, introduces the Pevensie children’s obnoxious 11-year-old cousin, Eustace Scrubb. A classic schoolyard bully with enabling parents, Eustace routinely makes fun of his cousins and causes trouble, acting selfishly throughout the book’s early chapters. Eventually, as the children sail along with the crew of the Dawn Treader, they land on a small island where Eustace finally gets his comeuppance. After stealing and hoarding the island’s enchanted gold, Eustace finds himself transformed into a terrifying dragon. Horrified that his exterior finally mirrors his interior, Eustace reforms, becoming more helpful and compassionate as a dragon than he ever was as a boy.
Eventually, Eustace encounters Aslan the Lion (the Narnia books’ representation of Jesus) who makes him an offer: “I can transform you back into a boy, but it will be painful.” Eustace agrees, and the holy lion walks around him, reaches up, and digs his mighty claws into Eustace’s scales. At first, the lion’s claws feel good on Eustace’s dragon back, but as Aslan scratches away the layers of thick scales, the process begins to hurt. Eustace endures the pain, and when the lion has finished, a small boy emerges from the pile of scales. Eustace Scrubb has not only returned to his human form; he has grown through the process.
The story depicts several key elements of holy discipline:
– The process is voluntary; Eustace can presumably change his mind anytime.
– The discipline leads to transformation, with Eustace becoming kinder.
– The pain is temporary and meant for Eustace’s betterment, not his shame.
– The discipline brings Eustace’s true self to the surface and affirms him.
Through this example, our group’s stories, and the words of Hebrews 12, we can understand discipline as a temporary pain entered into willingly to bring about positive transformation and affirmation. Discipline is a core component of the Christian life. It’s not always fun, and it must be entered into carefully and prayerfully, but it exists for our betterment. The first readers of Hebrews had entered a phase where they lacked discipline and sorely needed it. The author of Hebrews calls them out through this passage, and perhaps we need this message today as well:
Don’t fear healthy discipline;
healthy discipline leads us toward holiness.