No-nos and Kisses

A couple of days ago I bent down to pick James up to change his diaper.  He immediately arched his back and started to fuss.  I uttered a stern, "No," and kissed his forehead.  


Then I thought, "I probably shouldn't give him a kiss at the same time I'm trying to discipline him.  I'm sending a conflicting message."  But right on the heels of that thought came the following thoughts:

For those the LORD loves He disciplines...

(Hebrews 12:6)

For He does not afflict willingly...

(Lamentations 3:33)

Behold then the kindness and severity of God...

(Romans 11:22)

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

(William Cowper)

I feel the need to say that those references didn't dart through my mind; that's just for your benefit.  But, wow.  My mind and heart really felt the force of understanding of these "conflicting" truths at that moment.  Those verses weren't new revelation for me, but I always have to be reminded of them when little hardships come into my life.  My default mode is still, "Ugh.  Why is this happening to me?"  I have to be reminded of these things to give my "suffering" purpose and meaning.  And perhaps each time I walk through a hardship, I understand their purposes a little bit better.

The interaction with my son illustrated to me how discipline and outpourings of love can flow out of the same heart at the same time quite easily.  It was right and natural to correct James' "rebellious" behavior and quite natural to plant a kiss on that sweet forehead immediately afterward.