The issue of discipline is one that I struggle with. After writing about it yesterday, I ended up not doing the work I should have and instead watching the last session of the current cricket test. If I was in Auckland I would be considering taking a day’s leave to be there for the final day: NZ does frequently pull defeat from the Jaws of victory, but we could win this which means we will have done something quite rare — beaten England in a series.

So some work is undone, and I am not that guilty about that. Work will always be with us. But the need to discipline ourselves, to keep busy, and press on towards perfection remains. Because this life is not about us.

PHILIPPIANS 3:15-21

15 Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. 16 Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.
17 Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. 18 For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. 19 Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.

JOHN 12:20-26
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.”

On discupline, we get some hints from these passages.

1. We learn that we have to give away our life. We cannot hoard our power: if we use it to help others it doubles and if we do not it shrinks. And we will have great difficulty hoarding our wealth. 
2. We must not let our belly be our God.  I think we can take this quite literally (looking at my belly). The current dichotomy between continual advice about a health diet and foodie television leaves one depressed, and often reaching for the metaphorical Twinkies. We need to take our diet off the throne. We may then be able to relax and be grateful for the food we have.
3. Do not take glory in your shame.  The headline in today’s herald is illuminating here. The author is shocked, shocked, shocked that 48% of Kiwis oppose ghey marriage, and this is up four points.  The sponsor of this bill, Louisa Wall (who is a lesbian) blames the church for propaganda. She implies that this is unspeakable and unthinkable. (The law will, almost certainly pass: it is through its second reading). But there are more forms of shame than that, and we should beat up our gay friends. Us heterosexuals have developed a pick up culture where being a virgin or close to it is a cause of shame not pride. We should hang our heads and repent, not claim we are enlightened.

Our job is to follow Christ. You can predict he will take you into the desert, because he went there. You can predict you will end up in a confrontation with the spirit of the age, because he did this throughout his ministry. And you can predict that pressure will be put on you to be silenced.

And there you must not go. Our witness is our lives, true, but it is also words.