God's Goal for Discipline

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

Those eyes! The terror of the tiny boys’ shame is written all over their faces. Their guilt is real. As real as the guilt we feel when we get “caught”.

God sees the little kid in every one of us. He knows how weighed down we are by the messes we have left throughout our life. Jesus loves us more than any of us can love our own children. He parents us like the sweet mama did in this video with patience. But God doesn’t stop there, letting us have to deal with our shame on our own. He gave up his life on the cross to take the punishment for the chaos of all our sins. Jesus did that so he can do what all of us want to do for those tiny boys, take us up in his arms and love us forever and ever.

God’s goal for discipline is not a well-behaved child. HIs goal is that we know we are loved by a Savior whose love is so large and boundless that it reaches beyond the universes and beyond time. His cross declares us innocent in front of the One Holy God. Our kids need to know they are safe in the love of Jesus and in our love. God’s unconditional love will give them the safety to be honest with us and the motivation to be respectful and obedient.