Weekly Devotional 17th of October, 2025
by Bruce Billington
Weekly Devotional 17th of October, 2025
In this session, we will continue to look at Proverbs Chapter Three.
Proverbs 3:11-12 – “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”
So far in this book, we have learned about the rewards and blessings from God for fearing Him and obeying Him. But God is not only a God who rewards His children for obedience; He is also a loving Father who corrects His children when they disobey Him and His commands.
Discipline (musar) here refers to correction through chastisement. The Lord knows that His children need discipline as well as rewards; sometimes, positive reinforcement for obedience alone isn’t enough to keep children on the right path. God’s children must trust Him when He, the Heavenly Father, sees fit to use the rod to correct them.
Here, the father offers two exhortations about the Lord’s discipline:
The first is that we do not despise God’s discipline (Verse 11a). To despise means to reject or cast away, to want nothing to do with, in this case, discipline. We need to accept discipline when God considers it necessary to discipline us. Every parent knows that discipline can be received in one of two ways: a child can accept the discipline without resistance, or they can fight back by ignoring or reacting to the correction. No one enjoys being corrected or chastened, but the fear of the Lord includes submitting obediently to God’s hand of discipline.
The second point is that we must not resent or grow weary of (Verse 11b) His discipline. The word for weary means to be grieved or disgusted, to abhor or loathe. It describes a deep, negative emotional reaction.
So, this raises the important question – how can we willingly submit to God’s discipline while maintaining a positive attitude towards it? Although not easy, this ultimately comes down to trusting the Lord with all our heart and knowing Him intimately (Verse 5–6).
A slightly altered statement from the POSB says,
Grasp these two comforting truths about God’s chastening:
- God corrects His children because He loves them (Verse 12). God does not chastise His children out of anger. He does not punish to vent frustration or display wrath. As Scripture says, He corrects us because He loves us. He desires us to enjoy the benefits and blessings that come from obeying His Word.
- God corrects His children because they are members of His family (Verse 12b). Believers are not His students. They are not criminals to Him. They are His beloved children. One of the greatest assurances believers can have of their salvation is God’s chastening. He only disciplines His children.
What a beautiful picture of God’s covenant love for His children!
S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.” He meant that the best things from God come through discipline. Yes, this is a hard saying to accept, but it definitely has support from the Scriptures.
God corrects those He loves in the same way a father corrects his son whom he loves. Once we understand this, we should feel drawn to, rather than repelled by, God because of His corrections. Wardlaw says,
“These gracious words are written in Holy Scripture for our comfort and instruction; that we should patiently and with thanksgiving bear our heavenly Father’s correction, whensoever by any manner of adversity it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us”
God loves us with an everlasting love, and all His actions towards us are always motivated by our well-being. What a gracious God we serve.
May God bless you.
Bruce Billington