Sir, Yes, Sir!

Do I have to admit how many things I've started and never finished? I was doing some cleaning the other day and found a cross-stitch project I started for my baby's room. The baby is now 17. The fabric I found was troubling too. Not only can't I remember why I bought it, I can't remember buying it. I don't even sew. If I were in a military school focused on project-finishing, I think there would be grounds for a court martial.

Since I'm already branded, I guess I'll go ahead and mention the handful of half-read books on my shelf and the dozens of half-articles floating inside my computer. Still, probably one of my most distressing not-quite-finished projects was one from a couple of years back. I was in a meeting with a publisher and I glanced down to notice my nine polished nails. I had gotten distracted mid-polish and missed a nail! I was supposed to convince this editor that I could responsibly write an entire book, but I couldn't even manage to paint all ten nails? If I were in project boot camp, this would probably be when the Drill Sergeant would shout, "Drop and give me twenty!" Or in the case of my nails, at least all ten!

Discipline in every part of life is important. How successful and fruitful can we be as Christians if we can't do the things we're supposed to do? Discipline is following Christ as his "disciple" with a "Yes, Sir!" If we want a life filled with meaning - eternal meaning - then we need to let the Father pour his kind of discipline into our lives, marching in good order down the disciplined road. Proverbs 10:17 tells us that "the road to life is a disciplined life" (The Message).

So many undisciplined and frustrated soldier-wanna-bes are struggling to find the disciplined life just so they can feel better about themselves. But if we're struggling to become disciplined for our own satisfaction, we're operating from selfish motives. How can godliness be accomplished without selflessness?

Godliness should be my underlying purpose in the first place. 1 Timothy 4:7 says, " - discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness." (NAS) I guess that means that I need to, in essence, put myself in God's boot camp. Drop and give him all. The 1 Timothy passage continues: "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

I want to be a disciplined soldier in this present life. Second Timothy 2:4 says, "No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer." I want to please him consistently - I want to be a good soldier. I'd even like to be the kind of soldier who has all ten nails painted.

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Contributed by Rhonda Rhearrhea@juno.comRhonda Rhea writes for dozens of great Christian publications and speaks at conferences and events across the country. You can find her new book, Amusing Grace, at your local Christian bookstore. Rhonda's husband, Richie Rhea, is a pastor in Troy, Missouri. You can reach them through her Web site atwww.rhondarhea.net