I Corinthians 11:32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.
Yesterday was Father's Day. Naturally our thoughts turn to our younger days. When I was a boy I knew other men besides my father. Men at church or teachers at school, for example. I think some of them liked me okay. But if I consider all the men that I knew in a group, only one ever dealt sternly with me - that was my dad. He loved me the most and he had responsibility for me, therefore he had the most direct approach to my attention!
We sometimes recoil at the thought of judging or being judged. Ironically, we say things like, “I don’t care what anyone thinks” only to be greatly agitated to find out they are ‘judging’ us. I have seen t shirts that say “only God can judge me.” (A statement of dubious veracity!)
But, of course, God does judge. We generally think that means sorting. He judges who will end up here in eternity and who will go there. That’s definitely a role that God fulfills but today’s verse paints a different picture. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, is writing to people who have a relationship with God. People who are actively following Him. Christians. He told them that God does, sometimes, judge us. But not just once at the end of our days. He judges us as a disciplinary factor. So that we will not be condemned along with the world.
In other words, God is concerned that we not live like those that don’t know Him so that we might not suffer like those that don’t know Him. He wants to correct our ways. To discipline us.
This sounds a lot like incidents in my upbringing where my dad would interrupt the regular flow of my day to talk to me about something. Times when he would point out where he was not happy with something I had done or said (or not done but was supposed to.) This was the judgment. Then the discipline followed. Those were not the most pleasant times. He wasn’t doing that to spoil my fun or because he was just mad at me. He wanted me to be a successful, happy person and was willing to have both of us endure unpleasantness in an effort to get me there. He was trying to correct my ways.
This it is with the Lord as well. If I have done something displeasing to Him, (or not done something He instructed), I can expect that He will judge me. Discipline me. To correct my ways. It’s not always pleasant but it’s always for my good. He loves me enough not to just let me be how I am, if that way doesn’t lead to good things.
I am thankful for my dad. And I am even more thankful for my Heavenly Father! Both of whom have taken special interest in me. Both of which have had multiple occasions for trying to correct my ways!
Blessings,
Pastor Russ
