Reading Again

I have started reading again. I am half way through a book I received as a gift called "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver.  I got sidetracked a few weeks ago so had to put it aside. This morning, as I sat outside with my coffee, I picked it up once more to give it a go! I was just at the point of discipline - not my favourite subject. I have never liked getting it and didn't like giving it out to my daughter either.

Anyway, she was talking about 'teachable' moments. She had shared a story about her son and finished with the statement  "To learn or not to learn, that is the question. For when we are corrected, rebuked, or chastened, we have a choice. We can receive it, or we can refuse it."  As she is talking about Mary and Martha and the well known story of how Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her get food ready and Jesus replied with "You are worried and upset about many things....Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."  You don't hear anything more about Martha's response and yet you do see a change in Martha and her (Luke 10:38-42) attitude to a changed Martha in John 11 and 12. 

The reason? A woman with a teachable heart. She took His rebuke and made a change in her life. She listened. Weaver tells us that having a teachable heart involves three things:  "being willing to listen; acting on what we hear and responding to discipline."  When we refuse to listen, we shut Him out.

James 1:22 says "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."  Guess that means a little 'action' is required by us in our "following through" part! 

Anyway, I won't repeat the whole lesson (get the book if you are interested) but it hit home with me. It's like being told by your parent that you are doing something wrong and instead of accepting it, changing your ways and doing it right, you make excuses for yourself, defending your point of view and/or criticizing others (taking them down with you)! You close your ears instead of opening them and learning.

"Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord; ...you grant him relief from days of trouble" (Psalm 94:12-13).

Ok, here is another comment she made that has me thinking of a scripture verse in a different way. Still talking about discipline and welcoming it from our Lord instead of running from it (dare I say, asking for it)...she thinks of Psalm 23 like a special song "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."  Well, I have always thought of the "rod and staff" as tools used by the shepherd to lead, direct and protect the sheep, keeping them in line for their safety. Not as a means of discipline. 

However, I guess she is also right in her thinking.  It's funny how you can see a different point of view or application to life if you give yourself an opportunity to open your mind and heart a bit. I still think of the rod and staff in a positive sense but now I also see them as disciplining tools but used with love for the good of the sheep.

So...I feel compelled to repeat that scripture  "Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord; ... you grant him relief from days of trouble" Psalm 94:12-13.