There are two words in our language today that are seemingly the same but have vast differences in meaning. The two words are punishment and discipline. We don’t really care for either of these words, and I believe that’s because we don’t truly understand either of them.

Punishment is the easier one. It’s pretty much what one would imagine. You do the wrong thing and there’s a punishment waiting for you. You break the speed limit and you get a ticket. That’s a just punishment for a broken law. You disobey your parents and you get a punishment, whether that’s a time out or a spanking or some other creative tool up the parental sleeve. Punishment is generally a painful experience that follows our neglectful action or our willful disobedience. The purpose is to show us the wrong in our actions.

Discipline however isn’t like this at all. Even though we’ve tucked both of these words into the same basic definition, that’s not really how it’s supposed to be. As a matter of fact, discipline has nothing to do with the right or wrong in our actions at all. Discipline is about creating a new way of life, a better way of life, a healthier and more fulfilling way of living.

It’s super easy to mix these two up because we really don’t like the idea of either. But sometimes discipline is vital in life. Runners can’t run a marathon without training. That’s discipline! Weight lifters can’t increase their capacity to lift without the discipline of working at it constantly and making sure their diet matches their weight lifting goals. Discipline is the idea of creating a habit in life, often through challenge.

This week we talked about punishment and discipline. Here’s video of that talk. I hope you can see the difference between punishment and discipline and lean into the moments of discipline in your life.