And make straight the paths...the Wayfarer 1/24/15

And Make Straight the Paths

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight the paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but rather let it be healed.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”

(Hebrews 12:11-15)

Chastisement and rebuke are a necessary part of the love that is demanded of us in the single commandment left us by Christ that is, sadly, neglected, being forgotten to be a part of that very love.
Compassion must include correction.

That chastisement, too often comes far too late in life, having not been given when it can do the most good, and teach the lesson of a true love the best.

Chastisement will come, and it will come to all in one form or another.

It may only come after having been neglected for so long that it is no longer a meaningful and effective tool of that love, but is seen as a negative, instead of the positive influence that it should be, or it may be given as intended, the means to correct and enrich the life of the one being chastised.

The diligence spoken of by Paul reminds us that if it is not given when needed, the very act of withholding that chastisement is a means of defiling the very soul of the one in need of it.

As adults, as Christians, that chastisement comes from no less than the Lord himself, if we are indeed the children of His Father that we profess to be.

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”

(Hebrews 12:5-10)

Chastisement that is needed, and not given, is by far the worst form of neglect that is possible, and abusive in its result, in that no lesson is ever given of a need to modify unacceptable behavior.

Too often, the child that screams and yells and throws a tantrum is allowed to have its way, rather than take the time needed to modify behavior that will follow throughout life.

It is far easier to give in to the wishes of a child that refuses to listen to a parent, than to take the TIME to give the TIME needed to assure that child understands what is and is not acceptable, and, more importantly, what is right for that child.

It is easier to be selfish and give in to the demands for a candy bar or other demands made, thus allowing relative calm and a return to whatever has taken precedence over the actual needs of that child, than it is to take the TIME out of their own desired activity to make the correction that is needed.

It is easier to attempt to place the responsibility for that training that is required on others, by abdicating it to the school system, the baby sitter, the Nanny hired to raise a child, rather than give of yourself, or eventually the court system when all else has failed.

From this, what is learned by the child, is that no matter whether it is proper or to its own improvement, or whether it is detrimental, either physically, or spiritually, if that child persists in interrupting that precious TIME, and concentration being used for whatever other purpose, it will get its way, resulting in a continuation of that mindset into adulthood and the remainder of its life.

From the time of Adam, God has loved us all enough to give us the blessings intended for us to have… and also loved us enough to chastise behavior that was and is, and will continue to be unacceptable to Him.

He has patiently given us HIS time and HIS guidance instead of abdicating that responsibility, yet giving us the free will to choose, either His way, or the way we think to be our own, that is actually derived from the one who would deny all blessing, and direct us to eternal wrath and punishment.

Just as small discrepancies of allowing the child to get by with unacceptable behavior result in continuance of that behavior as well as encouraging further infractions when allowed, so too does this follow into adulthood when “small” discrepancies grow into complete disregard of God’s laws… and man’s as well.

Just as that disregard for the laws of man result in the eventual punishment, and even imprisonment, for that disregard, no less may be expected by those lacking regard for the laws of God.

When chastisement is properly given when needed as a child, that child learns to have a regard for both parents and the laws of the society they live in.

Without that chastisement no lesson can, or will, be learned resulting in immoral and illegal behavior that results in far harsher chastisement eventually.

The chastisement of man, as harsh as it may seem when given through the justice system, that eventually is burdened with the results of the lack of having been taught those lessons, is not the worst chastisement.

The worst chastisement comes when no lesson is ever taught, or learned, and when those lessons are refused as each stands before the final judge to answer for the actions taken that were in violation of KNOWN expectations of God Himself.

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and with raiment, that thou mayest be clothed,, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and that thou anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent.”

(Revelation 3:11)

These words were spoken by Christ himself, and were spoken to the church!

Whether as an individual parent, with responsibility to assure the education and edification of children as to what is expected of them within society, or as a member of that Church that is reminded again of what real wealth is, and what true poverty is, chastisement is a necessary part of the love that must be shown as is demanded by Christ in the single commandment given us.

While looking to the betterment of the youth of any society, emphasis must be placed on spiritual wealth as well as the more sought after physical wealth.

Wellbeing of the soul should take precedence over the accumulation of the things of this life, the desires of “children”, and love must be shown instead of the abusive neglect shown by those intent only on the things of a world that is only temporarily inhabited, on the way to the world that will be the eternal residence of that soul.

Just as Jesus came to give us a means to salvation, teaching the true meaning of love, while chastening what was being given in its place, the value of chastening must be seen as well if the alternative of that salvation is not to be the goal being striven for.

We have been given choice through both the promise given by him, and the warning as well.

Enable the love and tender mercies of our Lord by teaching what He taught.

Express that love by making correction as well as assuring physical need.

Making correction, and assurance of comprehension is not judgment, nor is it abusive.

Enable that love through enabling the lessons that need to be taught, not by enabling behavior in contravention to everything that was given us.

Teach selflessness, not selfishness. Teach the needs of others instead of the greed of the individual. Teach the TRUTH instead of the lie that is taught in its place.

Teach that correction can be made, and that there is reward for that correction, but also teach that there is no reward to be had that is worth having without that correction.

Teach the redemption that is promised, but teach also the required repentance that is given, only when the punishment is seen for what it is… no alternative reward, but the withholding forever of that reward.

Let the light of love shine through the darkness that is the result of never comprehending the simple requirement of redemption through repentance only.

Concentrate on giving the hand up that allows that repentance and redemption… not the handout that denies the need for it.

As we journey for the time we are given here, remembrance must be given as to the reason for that time, and the purpose for which we are placed here.

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

This wayfarer, and soldier, this simple sinner saved by grace through faith would remind all of the necessity of living up to that commandment given by Christ and ALL that it entails, to include assuring that a chance is given to be one of the reachable and teachable instead of being one of the lost, who never learn the simple lesson of the message preached by Christ of redemption through repentance.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

(Revelation 22:12)

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer