The previous verses (3:9-10) mention the blessings of the Lord. I would be surprised if anyone would ever despise those divine blessings or even grown weary of benefiting from the "full barns" and "bursting vats" given by the gracious hand of God. We naturally attribute such blessings to our Heavenly Father's love. But what about His discipline and reproof? How are we to respond to the tougher aspects of our Father/child relationship with God?
The exact same way!
If we are not careful, we could misunderstand His corrective discipline in our lives. Just as God's love is demonstrated by His work to remove obstacles in our lives (3:5-6) and provide for our material needs (3:9-10), it is demonstrated by His discipline. This is why we are to not reject or grow weary of the Lord's discipline. It is how He shows His love for us.
To think that God finds pleasure in correcting His children, whether physically or verbally, could cause us to miss the benefits of such discipline. Receiving God's correction leads to our growth of character and depth of maturity. Allowing God to bring us back in line is one of the greatest things we can experience because the end result is simply amazing.
Consider the character of those you know who had no parental discipline while growing up. They tend to be wild, rude, insensitive, selfish, and constantly in trouble with those in authority. Let that never be said of the children of God. For those who understand that the Father's love is proved in both the giving of blessing as well as discipline, life is truly wonderful.
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