Redemption is the work of love, not fear

[StriperAddict]

Awesome blessing from Janet Newberry from "The Cure Group", FB.
==========================================

The first time I ever reached out to John Lynch, after watching his YouTube "Two Roads" message, I asked him if he'd help me understand the part in the video about punishment.

I'd watched the video no less than 100 times, consumed with the hope of grace and the relationship that fixes my eyes on what is possible because of love.

But the part where John is reading the New Testament Gamble and he says, (in God's voice,) "...and I promise to never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever punish you..."

That part confused me every time.

In my understanding of life, punishment happens with predictable regularity. People grow old, gravity is real, and punishment is like paying a bill.

After years of serving as a public school administrator, I'd spent hours of my life creating "discipline plans," carefully measuring out punishment.

I believed if I gave the right dosage of punishment, the bad behavior would be cured.

Love keeps no record of wrongs, but punishment does. Every new office referral earned a new level of shame. (Ouch. Even typing those words makes me cringe.)

So now...fast forward about 8 years. That's how long it's taken to unplug 50 years of relying on punishment in my mind and start replacing it with redemption.

Punishment isn't the cure.

Redemption is the work of love, not fear.

Not shame.

It is the work of transformation, not behavior modification.

Those plans I'd made at school were not "discipline plans," they were "punishment plans."

Punishment looks back at the behavior and assigns a penalty.

Behavior is the echo of belief.

Discipline looks at the person and reminds us of our true identity. Then, discipline sticks with us while we experience the natural consequences that come in response to the choices we make about behavior.

Discipline doesn't protect us from important consequences. Discipline protects us from shame so that as we are experiencing consequences, we don't forget we are unconditionally loved.

Love doesn't count on the power of fear or shame to change behavior.

Love counts on the power of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus to give us new life...and a new heart--free for the trusting.

Then the work of discipline teaches us to trust the new heart we have...that doesn't want to treat others or ourselves with anything less than love.

Love affirms. Love corrects and redirects. Love protects, so sometimes love says, "No."

When love is trusted, transformation happens. We call it maturity. We call it freedom.

Whenever we don't trust the guidance love offers, Love stays with us, waiting for the chance to redeem the stories that get written when we leave love out.

If we're going to look back, let's do it for the purpose of adding love to the past. Adding shame or blame to stories full of shame and blame makes us bitter, not better.

Shame teaches us to respond to pain with addiction, not freedom.

Love gives us the ability to respond in the ways of healing and hope. This is the kind of response-ability that will free us and change the world.

In the midst of a painful year and a Christmas season like none we've known, my heart is consumed with the hope of grace and the relationship that fixes my eyes on what is possible because of love.

Thank you for coming, Jesus. Together, there is great hope.



Here’s the John Lynch “Two Roads” video from 2012 if interested:

(Used with permission)

 

[SemperFiDawg]

IMHO there is Spiritual Punishment that is dealt by God, and there is physical punishment that comes from living in a fallen world. Christ's death dealt a death blow to the spiritual punishment for all that partake of it. A very great deal of the physical punishment is self-inflicted through the consequences of our decisions and actions here on earth. The rest is just a result of living in a fallen world.

Of the latter type I have found that the 'physical punishment' that I self inflict upon myself is mitigated in direct proportion to my ability to live in God's will. Additionally I am discovering that a great deal of the punishment that results from living in a fallen world for both myself and others can be greatly influenced by my words and actions toward others. I can't stop a tornado, illness, or the death of a loved one, but if I can hear God in my prayers, he will often direct me onto a path to say or do something to that will give them peace or ease their hurt.

Pain and suffering are nothing, but opportunities for God's miracles. Miracles don't exist in a perfect world or life. Miracles create a perfect world and a perfect life. (Off topic, but IMHO that's a great deal of the reason the wealthy have a hard time reaching Heaven: their wealth buffers them from needing miracles and thus God. We're living in the wealthiest nation the world has ever known............... The implications are staggering.)