Have you ever heard of the word “blurt”? It is a favorite of mine, both the word and the unfortunate habit of “blurting.” It means “speak impulsively.” Linguists think it’s an onomatopoeia (blurt!).
Have you ever blurted something out and wish you hadn’t? Blurting is common. Psychology Today has a 2014 article called “Why We Can’t Keep Our Mouths Shut;” it talks about the reasons behind blurting and gives surprisingly helpful methods to stop yourself from blurting. According to the author, blurting leads to “embarrassment, regret, and offense;” it’s no wonder we should not want to do it!
Let me ask you about another word. What do you think of when you think of the word discipline? Blurting may not be the worst thing in the world, but being reminded just how cringe-worthy our words and actions can be, speaks to me of my need for correction and even discipline in this area of my life. The trouble is I’m not too fond of discipline.
I loved playing sports when I was young. What I didn’t love was the discipline of practice. Wind sprints and push-ups were constant. I would ask, “why?” The coach would respond with one word: “Again!”
In today’s oversensitive society (my opinion), the word “discipline” is often seen as a terrible and evil word, on par with “abuse.” It seems to me, however, that this stems from a misunderstanding of discipline. Receiving discipline is rarely a pleasant thing. Kids don’t like to be punished, even for bad behavior. As adults, we don’t enjoy being corrected for the mistakes that we’ve made, either. We like to say, “To err is human,” And I agree, no one is perfect. Still, the real measure of maturity lies in how we respond to discipline and criticism.
In the perfect pre-Fall world, discipline would have been unnecessary since no corrections in behavior, thoughts, or attitudes would have been needed. However, since we live in a fallen, sin-cursed world, God instituted discipline for our good. As children and later in adulthood, we must be willing to receive discipline and instruction.
“My son, do not regard the discipline of the Lord lightly, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:5)
The good news about God’s discipline is that it comes from a place of love. I would rarely attempt to discipline someone else’s child. As a parent, I would discipline my kids because I loved them above all others, and I wanted them to live up to their enormous potential. God seems to deal with us in the same fashion. He loves me far too much to leave me the way I am. If I allow Him, He smooths the rough edges, guides my misbehavior, and reins in my desires to wander or even blurt.
Allow God to have His way. Joyfully accept His discipline and correction. If He’s instructing you through the Bible, don’t turn away. If his correction comes through another person close to you, listen. Perhaps He is using the consequences of your actions or painful circumstances to speak to you. Hear Him. Accept God’s correction and discipline and make the positive changes He is calling for. Soon, we will all see our rough edges being chipped away, and our attitude and behavior will begin to reflect the glory of our God.