For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control… (2 Peter 1:6a).

When my classroom of thirteen-year-olds gets ornery, I point out to them one of life’s great lessons—you will be controlled.  You have the option of controlling yourself, but if you don’t take that option, you will be controlled by someone else.  In the classroom setting, that “Someone else” is me, and my tools for controlling behavior take the form of discipline—unpleasant and unwanted for most people.

It’s very much the same when it comes to the spiritual life.  If you don’t control yourself, someone else will.  Peter is talking here to believers, and we don’t need to worry about our Enemy controlling us.  But if the Holy Spirit needs to step in and control your behavior, you’re not going to like it.  Remember, God is not interested in robots—He won’t simply remote-control you into proper behavior.  He will discipline you, much as a father or a teacher might.  And it won’t be pleasant.

Self-control is an important fruit of the Spirit.  Peter tells us elsewhere that we should, “Be clear minded and self-controlled, so you can pray” (1 Peter 4:7).  As believers, we are expected to practice this discipline, so that we can be useful and productive members of His kingdom.

So, Beloved, who will control you today?  Will you be a spiritual grown up, or a spiritual 8^th grader? Because, trust me, you aren’t going to like God’s version of after-school detention.