Discipline with Justice

"Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant, for I am with you,” says the LORD.“I will completely destroy the nations to which I have exiled you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished.”

Jeremiah 46:28

Most of Jeremiah 46 is directed, not at the Jews, but at the Egyptians. In this chapter, God promises to punish Egypt at the hand of Babylon, reminding us that God is the Lord of all nations, not just his chosen people.

However, the last two verses address the Jews (“Jacob”). In verse 27, the Lord promised to bring home his people from their exile to “distant lands.” One day, “Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them.” But this day was not on the near horizon. Before the return from exile, the Lord had to send his people into exile because of their persistent disobedience.

Yet, the Lord said, “I will discipline you, but with justice” (46:28). The verb translated here as “discipline” (yasar) can refer to some painful experience, but the emphasis is upon the education that comes from it. Moreover, God’s discipline is always “with justice” (lammishpat). His punishment fits the crime, as it were.

Could I say the same about my own discipline? I wonder. When my children have done something wrong, am I seeking to teach them or simply to make them pay? And if someone whom I supervise in my work is out of line, are my responses appropriate? Do I try to help them learn and grow? Or do I overreact in anger? Or, instead, do I ignore unhelpful behavior because dealing with it makes me uncomfortable?

God disciplined his people so as to teach them, and did so with justice. You and I need to do similarly in situations where God has given us authority over people. Such discipline must always be redemptive, instructive, and fair. Moreover, it must flow from a heart of love for people, a desire for the very best for them.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you experienced discipline with justice in your life? When? Did you learn from the experience? If you have charge over people, how do you respond when they are out of line?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for the ways you discipline your people so that we might grow in wisdom and righteousness. Thank you for acting in justice toward us.

Teach me, Lord, to imitate you where I have been given authority over people. May I always seek the best for those in my charge, even if this means I have to make them unhappy with me. Yet may I always be guided to do what is just. And may my actions issue forth from a love, a love like your love for your people.

All praise be to you, O God, because you love us so much that you teach us to be like you. Amen.

P.S. from Mark

This week I am blogging on the subject “Why Don’t We Pray for Business?” You might be challenged and encouraged by this blog series. You can find it at my new blog address: http://blog.beliefnet.com/markdroberts/.