Quotes about Discipline

You can judge the quality of their faith from the way they behave. Discipline is an index to doctrine.

We must despise all these temptations and pay no attention whatsoever to them.

This is discussed at greater length in chapter 6, "Seeks Discipline." A committed member is committed to speaking the truth in love to his brothers and sisters, to helping them avoid pitfalls, and to encouraging them in holiness and Christian joy. A committed member will not be wrongly intrusive in the lives of others—a busybody—but he also will not be "hands off" when it comes to caring for and counseling others.

When you play, play hard when you work, don't play at all.

I am delighted to have you play football. I believe in rough, manly sports. But I do not believe in them if they degenerate into the sole end of any one's existence. I don't want you to sacrifice standing well in your studies to any over-athleticism and I need not tell you that character counts for a great deal more than either intellect or body in winning success in life. Athletic proficiency is a mighty good servant, and like so many other good servants, a mighty bad master.

In the same way I have always regarded boxing as a first-class sport to encourage in the Young Men's Christian Association.

Unless a man is master of his soul all other kinds of mastery amount to little.

No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.

Fight like a man. Habit is overcome by habit.

It is not really a small thing when in small things we resist self.

He who shunneth not small faults falleth little by little into greater.

It is a hard thing to break through a habit and a yet harder thing to go contrary to our own will. Yet if thou overcome not slight and easy obstacles how wilt thou overcome greater ones Withstand thy will at the beginning and unlearn an evil habit lest it lead thee little by little into worse difficulties. Oh if thou knewest what peace to thyself thy holy life should bring ...and what joy to others methinketh thou wouldst be more zealous for spiritual profit.