Hi, I’m Joni and I have a little lesson about “behavior modification.”
When I was on my feet and used to train horses, I took the behavior modification approach. You know what that is… I would give a reward, like a piece of apple, when my horse in training was obedient. But I would use the riding crop if he got feisty, nipping, or kicking. I mean, after all I was the boss… I was in control. So it was all about behavior modification. Reward and punishment — it sure did work for horses.
But it does not work when it comes to God’s dealings with us. Listen to what my friend, Phil Yancey, shared in an article. He wrote, “The Bible itself records a kind of behavior-modification experiment on a national scale — God’s covenant with the Israelites. For a time, God resolved to reward and punish His people with strict consistency, as detailed in the book of Deuteronomy.”
What were some of the results of obedience? Prosperous cities and country-sides, no sterility among men or women or livestock, assured success in all farming ventures. Dependable weather conditions and guaranteed military victories, even total immunity to diseases.
So what about punishment? What would happen if they disobeyed? Well Deuteronomy records it: Violence and crime, infertility and crop failure, heat and drought, and every kind of disease and domination by surrounding nations. In summary, it says in that same chapter in Deuteronomy that the Israelites would become a thing of horror and an object of scorn and ridicule if they disobeyed.
So what resulted from this system of reward and punishment? For the answer, read the books of Joshua and Judges back to back. Because within 50 years, the Israelites disintegrated into a state of anarchy and much of the rest of the Old Testament recounts the dreary history of those predicted curses coming true.
Years later when the New Testament writers referred to that time of history, they saw those days of reward and punishment in a new light. They didn’t hold up the old covenant as a model...rather, they said that the Old Testament law now served as an object lesson for us. From now on, in this age of grace, it would demonstrate that human beings are utterly incapable of fulfilling a contract with God.
And, friend, aren’t you glad that God doesn’t deal with you and me like I did with my horse and my riding crop and bits of apple?!When lightning strikes and planes crash, when buildings fall and bad medical reports are handed to you, don’t let your first thought be the old reward and punishment thing, like, “uh-oh... God’s the boss; he's in control and he's got his whip out...He’s punishing me.” No, no, no... Just be glad that those things remind you...remind us all...that all the punishment was doled out on Jesus Christ when he hung on the cross... all the wrath that God had stored up against you and me because of our sin was dumped on Jesus Christ on His cross... and all God’s got left for you and me is the reward. God’s has the piece of apple and nothing else no riding crop. No, it’s the reward. It is grace upon grace upon grace... all God's got left for you is mercy and forgiveness, compassion and loving kindness. Come to think of it, that’s the best reward I can possibly think of as we live in this New Testament age of grace. I invite you to visit me today at our web site at joniandfriendsradio.org. Until next time, this is Joni and Friends.
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