A courageous man lives a disciplined life that demonstrates the important elements of life and transfers those priorities to those within his sphere of influence. A disciplined life is a life with structure and parameters.

Please don't hear me talking about rigidity or advocating the adoption of standards that squelch spontaneity. In actuality, it is discipline that creates the fertile soil where creativity, spontaneity, and the courage to look at life uniquely flourishes most readily. An undisciplined life breeds insecurity and wastes time, the precious commodity we talked about earlier. A courageous man disciplines his life according to his Father's priorities.

Guard yourself and those you love against legalism disguised as discipline. Legalism is all about control, performance-based acceptance, and rules devised by insecure folks -- even though well-meaning -- who are threatened by the uniqueness of the human spirit and the profound grace of God to meet us at any point in life.

Discipline, on the other hand, sets us free to follow our Father's lead and examine all He has in store for us. The security offered by legalism is a limited perspective looking through a well-defined key-hole. The security of a disciplined lifestyle rests in the strong arms of our Father and views the broad horizon of life from heaven's reaches.

The difficulty in distinguishing between legalism and discipline often arises because both legalism and discipline can be preached from God's Word. However, knowing your Father's heart, as well as your own, and following both provides the discernment necessary to distinguish legalism from discipline.

It is a timid soul who puts himself and God in a legalistic box to maintain the status quo of today. A courageous man views himself and his life from God's perspective and steps into the future with the discipline of a well-anchored, confident, and secure man.