The Disobedience Cure

Do you have a disobedient heart? Maybe you complain about the things you have been told to do: “Why do I have to do that again?” or “No one else has to go to bed so early!” Maybe you just think your own way inside—They can make me do it now, but when I’m bigger I won’t have to!

You see, obedience isn’t just doing the things Mom and Dad tell you to do. Like Mark, you might be doing what you’re told, and still be disobeying.

Disobedience shows up in your attitude inside. Are you washing dishes because Auntie is watching and you want to impress her? Are you planning ways to get out of more work—like disappearing before Mom can give you another job? Maybe you’ve thought like this before. I have.

Do you want to get rid of this attitude that is selfish and wants its own way? Just think—disobedience is the cause of all the trouble in the world! Because of one person’s disobedience we were all born with sinful hearts and grow up doing wrong. All, except one. You know who that is. Yes, and it is only because of Jesus that we can get an obedient heart inside.

Was Jesus ever selfish and disobedient? No. He came to do His Father’s will and He always did the things that please Him (John 8:29). Always. His attitude was always right. How could Jesus be like that? Because He loved His Father with all His heart, mind, and strength. It was really that simple. When you love someone enough, you stop thinking about yourself and what you want. If you really respect and loved your parents, you would never want to displease them, would you?

You see, love (the kind from God) is the real cure of disobedience. It was because of that love that Jesus came to save us. It is because of that love that we can know God and learn to love Him, too. “We love Him, because He first loved us,”* (1 John 4:19) one of Jesus’ disciples said. And when our heart is filled with love for God, there won’t be any room for disobedience, will there?