A Lesson On Main Street

M

ain Street was a wonderful place!  On this street, I met my first and best friend, on this street I learned to walk, and on this street I learned to ride a bike.  I received my first skinned knee on Main Street; I got into my first fight on Main Street, and it was on Main Street that I learned just how much my mom, dad, brother, sister, family and friends loved me.

I remember so many occasions when the traffic on Main Street stopped my play and turned my thoughts elsewhere.  Some cars were headed toward town, and some were headed the other way, going to who knew where.  From our front yard, I could see in both directions.  To my left, I could see the stop light and some of the buildings of our town.  To my right, Main Street stretched a great distance until it curved out of sight.  I was convinced that this is where the world ended because when cars went around that curve they disappeared!

My dad worked just up the street from our home.  Every day he would come home for lunch and in the evening he would walk home for supper.  I can still see him as he walked down the sidewalk on Main Street and I remember running to meet him and jumping up into his arms and him carrying me the rest of the way home.  However, there was one time when dad’s walk home wasn’t’ the most pleasant experience for me.  It was the first time I remember him disciplining me and, like most other things in my life, it happened on Main Street.

It was around lunch time and I was standing in our front yard watching the cars go by.  Not satisfied with being an observer, I decided it would be fun to participate.  So, I began throwing small stones at the passing cars, not realizing what I was doing.  Several cars passed by and the stones fell harmlessly in front, behind, or on the other side of them.  One stone, however, performed perfectly, hitting a car and causing the driver to stop!  As luck would have it, my dad was walking down Main Street and saw the whole thing!  Moreover, he knew the driver of the car and that made it even worse.

When he got to me, he took my hand, led me into the house, and he gave me a spanking.  Then, he did something far worse, he made me call the lady whose car I had hit and apologize to her.  I remember daddy standing me up on the counter.  He dialed the number, got the lady on the phone, handed it to me, and made me apologize.  Through tears and sobs, I finally got it out.  There had been no damage to the car, but there had been damage to my character and daddy knew how to fix it!  It wasn’t fun at the time, but I learned my lesson and I learned respect for my dad.

The writer of Hebrews knew that the Christian life is not without its moments of discipline.  He understood that we get out of line, that we do things we shouldn’t or fail to do the things we should.  The writer also understood that God, like our human fathers, will not tolerate character flaws in us and He will discipline us so that we grow to spiritual maturity, doing what is right and pleasing in His sight.

In Hebrews 12:9-10, we have a vivid picture of why God disciplines His children. “Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!  Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.”

There are so many truths locked in these two verses.  Discipline teaches us respect for our earthly fathers because we know that they discipline in order to teach us right from wrong.  But they discipline us for only a little while, then we go out on our own, armed with the knowledge and experience they have provided.  But God disciplines us for life and He does so for our own good.  Left to ourselves, we would never lead holy lives.  We need God’s discipline and instruction in order to please Him.

God’s discipline does have a purpose.  The closing words of this passage tell us plainly that God disciplines us for one purpose and one purpose only, “that we may share in his holiness.”  Think about that!  God disciplines us so that we can have a relationship with Him.  He disciplines us in order to remove everything from us that keeps us from living according to His will and His commands. 

J

ust like my dad, God will not tolerate harmful behavior.  He will not let us get away with anything, not even a little stone-throwing.  God’s aim is not to make us comfortable, but to teach us right from wrong.  Sometimes that teaching involves discipline and God teaches His best lessons on Main Street!