“For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.” (Proverbs 3:12-14 NLT)
It did not matter how tall you were, how strong you were, or how smart you were – which was evidently not smart enough – in my times, when you did wrong there was no sparing of the rod, better yet the belt, by the father of the house. We got whippings! Real whippings! Whippings by belts or switch because somebody just had to snitch. Whippings when got caught in some forbidden cookie jar! You know those whippings that made your bottom soar (and sore)! Whippings that made you holler for help, talk in some unknown languages, and cry for it seems like hours, long after the whipping was done. Your head would move as if it was shivering, your body would shake, your nose would sniffle, your breathing pattern changed to a cadence that could not be stopped. Like I said, we got whippings! Now it was not abuse, let me state that clearly. It had a purpose, intended by one who loved us dearly. Sometimes they were delayed whippings, precluded by mothers saying, “Wait until your father gets home!” And we waited too, hoping that mercy would change our mom’s mind or maybe so many other things would occupy here that she forget to summon our dads, to do their assigned whipping duty. Seldom did that happen! We got whippings! Our siblings would say, “Oh, you gonna get it!” Our Supreme God was probably shaking His head to indicate, “You reap what you sow.” Here is some good news about whippings; good news that you know is true from your personal experience. At least I hope that is the case. The whippings had a positive outcome. They helped us in winning, being victorious over making the same errant, sinful mistake ever again. We ought to be thank that there were whippings in our past, those type of whippings that that lead to winning.
While I am reflecting on the reservoir of real-life experiences from the past, let me share another real account. Back in the day, and this is true, I had a patented move in basketball where I would fake left and go right. Time after time again I would put a whipping on some opponent. Well, one day, one of the opponents, tired of the whippings, figured out my patented move and played me, guarded me perfectly, annoyingly, shifting to the left. There was no more faking left and going right. His whippings led to winning and he would be the one who won. Whippings do lead to winning in all kinds of stops on our travel through life.
On our spiritual journey, we have experienced some whippings too. For a while (“a while” meaning longer for some than for others); for a while we kept getting our whippings; kept getting disciplined by the principle of God. We did reap what we sowed. We did have consequences for our behavior. Yes, we have had our whippings. But eventually we learned that we had to change our behavior, correct our conduct, and cultivate better decision making in life. The whippings were whippings that would lead to winning. And, in our growing process as Christians, we experienced this more than once. While children say they are too old for whippings, God’s children are never too old to experience a whipping in life, with one goal in mind. The goal? To make us better. We should thank God for the whippings that shaped us and showed us that wrong is never right, sin is not something that you should give into, and the narrow way is much better that the broad path that leads to destruction. Yes, thank God! Nevertheless, don’t think that our enemy will not try to deceive you and devour you derail your plan to live holy and right. Our adversary will continue to attempt to influence you, so that you will be a disappointment to the Lord and thus lead to some type of much needed whipping. So, be on guard and keep winning today! Be God-conscious and circumvent, avoid any reason to be whipped. Do good instead. You will reap what you sow: good things! God be with you, my friend! Get dressed for the day as directed below. Be blessed!
“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan.” (Ephesians 6:11 The Living Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King