DISCIPLINE.

Deuteronomy 30:19
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live...

Even God has His way to discipline His people. A few principles: (1) witnesses (2) setting boundaries/rules, and (3) suggestion with its consequence. As leaders, it is important that we also use God's awesome and thought of principles to help those who are following us. What does this reveal or tell us about God? That is He is a God of order, very organized in His ways, everything has been set because He already planned everything out. Just like our "followers", we ought to take the good suggestion to receive its blessings. We know that sowing and reaping is a principle that we can live by. When we sow life, we reap blessings. When we sow death, we reap curses. What do we choose? Choose life, as God "suggested" it. This proves that God doesn't want to violate the gift of free will. He still wants us to choose. In the same way, we cant' expect everyone to just do what we have "set" for them (boundaries, rules, etc.) We have to expect them to choose for what consequence they'd want to get.

What's my choice? I chose life, of course. As a leader, I ought to take God's principles in "disciplining" my "followers" (my students, the youth, Julia, etc.) I must remember that I can't be too uptight with them; that I ought to give them the opportunity to exercise their free will. However, I must give the good side of when they choose "life."

Lord, thank you for these principles. Please help me to do things just like you do. Guide me that I won't get affected whenever someone chooses the other path. Help me to always be encouraging but to also be stern when I have to, just because I want to acquire your "just-ness". Thank you Lord for being the greatest example. I want to live for You and I want to choose life that I may also receive your blessings that never ends. All this I lift up to You in Jesus' name, amen.