Discipline as a Matter of Practice

Just like in every good action movie you've ever seen, the hero doesn't walk in during the first half hour, identify the villians, and shoot 'em down right away. You've got to build it up some, create tension, and get the viewer invested in the storyline.

Its kinda the same with discipline. I lacked it as a kid, and its something that I still am working on to this day. The thing ab out it that lets me sleep well at night is the knowledge that I'm getting much, much better about it.

Today is day 3 of Lent. In my mind, things are beginning to become routine. Not only that, but I'm directly seeing the benefits of certain disciplines. One in particular has always been a challenge for me: tithing. So often, the complaint has been that you barely have enough money to get yourself from paycheck to paycheck, let alone giving an additional 10% of everything you get to the church. Can I really get by with only 9/10ths of what I earn?

Reading through Donald Miller's "Blue Like Jazz" changed my perspective. Donald had a friend whose life was filled with drinking, smoking, and all sorts of lascivious behavior. Through all of it, his friend adamantly refused to keep all that he earned. He gave 10% of every paycheck to the church. (Really, he kept it in a jar and would give it to the church whenever he happened to stop in.) The key concept was that he refused to steal from God. Stealing from God. No, God doesn't need the few dollars we give as tithe, but He has asked it of us. If everything that I claim to own and have is God's, then why should I have reservations about not giving this small portion of it back?

Over the last few weeks that I've been actively tithing, I've been able to see the benefits that are written about it. Since I began tithing, I've been much more aware - and much more responsible with my finances. By taking the tithe out of my income first, by putting God first in this area of my life, I have been much more active in monitoring that which God has granted to me.

Despite how much I make - I'm now actually able to save money from each paycheck - something I considered impossible granted my circumstances. God works in ways that are beyond my comprehension. Amen!

The more I practice discipline in (many, many) areas of my life, the more comfortable I become with controlling myself, my actions, and my interactions.

Day 3: Discipline