Did you ever learn something and think to yourself, “How have I missed that all these years? This is so obvious and self-evident!”
Well, I had one of those moments. I was in my 30s when I suddenly realized that the word discipline and the word disciple have the same root word.
Both come from the Latin verb discere “to learn.” Or the noun form “disciplus” meaning pupil or student or learner.
I had this epiphany this when I was in the thick of being a parent of four little kids–and discipline was a daily event. But I had not really considered how the heart of discipline isn’t just correcting bad behavior. Rather, it is meant to help our kids learn virtuous behavior. If learning isn’t part of the process, it’s not really discipline. It’s just punishment.
Discipline is meant to make disciples.
Our grown up New Year resolutions probably revolve around some type of personal discipline that we are wanting to improve. Maybe better fitness discipline or nutrition discipline or an increased reading discipline or a new spiritual discipline. These practices are part of the process of discipling ourselves–training our bodies, minds, or spirits to follow after a standard that we understand to be higher and better than the path we had been on.
Maybe the shared root word of disciple and discipline has been self-evident to all of you already!
But if not, maybe this will be some food l for thought.
As you discipline yourself and when opportunities arise for you to discipline to your children, remember learning should be a part of the process.
Discipline is not just about correcting bad behavior. Rather, it is about encouraging a person toward the ultimate behavior–becoming more like our perfect model: Jesus Christ!