What is a disciplined person?

What makes something a discipline?

In the children's book Frog and Toad Together, the 2 central characters discover the limits of mere trying when Frog bakes a batch of cookies. "We ought to stop eating," they say, as they keep eating. "We must stop," they resolve, as they eat some more. "We need willpower," Frog finally says, grabbing another cookie.

"What is willpower?" asks Toad, swallowing another mouthful.
"Willpower is trying very hard not to do something you want to do very much." Frog says.

Frog discusses a variety of ways to help with willpower - putting the cookies in a box, tying the box shut, putting it high up in a tree - but each time Toad points out (in between bites) that they could climb the tree and untie the box. In desperation, Frog finally dumps the remaining cookies outside on the ground: "Hey, birds!" he calls. "Here's cookies!"

"Now we have no more cookies," says Toad sadly.
"Yes" says Frog, "But we have lots and lots of willpower!".
"You may keep it all," Toad replies. "I'm going home to bake a cake!"


by John Ortberg - "The Life You've Always Wanted" page 47-48.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!


What makes something a spiritual discipline?
Disciplines that are spiritual are simply those that help me live in the fruit of the Spirit.

Spiritual discipline: Any activity that can help me gain power to live life as Jesus taught and modeled it.

How many spiritual disciplines are there? As many as we can think of. Certain practices are basic, such as solitude, servanthood, confession, and meditation on Scripture. We will look at all these in the remaining chapters of this book. But we can turn almost any activity into a "training exercise" for spiritual life.


What is a disciplined person?
The link between disciple and discipline is obvious, But getting the definitions right is very important, lest discipleship become rigid and mechanical.

A disciplined person is someone who can do the right thing at the right time in the right way with the right spirit.

Notice what a disciplined person is not. A disciplined person is not simply someone who exercises many disciplines. A disciplined person is not highly systematic, rigidly scheduled, chart-making, gold star loving early riser. The Pharisees were rigid and organized but they were not disciplined persons in the sense required by true discipleship.

Disciplined people can do what is called for at any given moment. They can do the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason.

This definition applies to artists and athletes and astronauts as well as to followers of Jesus. A disciplined follower of Jesus - a "disciple" - is not someone who has "mastered the disciplines" and never misses a daily regimen of spiritual exercises. A disciplined follower of Jesus is someone who discerns when laughter, gentleness, silence, healing words, or prophetic indignation is called for, and offers is promptly, effectively, and lovingly.

by John Ortberg - "The Life You've Always Wanted" page 50.