Because He Loves Me

In the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, we read, "My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him" (Hebrews 12:5). In English that word chastening carries with it a feeling of punishment, but in the Greek from which our New Testament was translated the word means, "instruction which aims at increasing virtue." That settles into my heart a lot better than the feeling of punishment. We all, being parents and teachers, know the importance of giving and receiving instruction intended to help the person being taught, and when we are Living in Truth we welcome such instruction.

Paul goes on to say, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby' (12:11). I say, "Amen to that!" Exercised means "the act of bringing into play or realizing in action."  So chastening brings about righteousness.

Paul also draws a comparison between an earthly father (12:7) who chastises because he loves his son and wants his son to grow up to be a happy, functioning, capable adult. If the father didn't think the child could comprehend the lesson and grow from it, he wouldn't instruct him. Likewise, God chastens because He loves me, and because He wants me to grow into a happy, functioning, celestial being.

As Paul says, no one likes being chastised, but the consequence of such correction is worth everything we endure. Being chastened means God loves us and that he knows we can do better.