The Value of Discipline

"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:26,27)

Once St. Francis went to the house of a very rich man. This man wanted to see the life of St. Francis. When they went to bed, he tied his gown to that of St. Francis so that he would awake when he rose out of bed. St. Francis got up in the middle of the night, untied the knot and went away for prayer. This man Bernard woke up and finding Francis gone, began to seek him. He saw Francis praying. There was such a radiance about Him that Bernard could not stand it, but swooned. The whole night he prayed for the conversion of Bernard and Bernard got converted.

It was very hard to be with St. Francis. St. Francis called the body 'donkey' because it always tended to interfere with good discipline. It gets angry quickly, expresses it in an uncouth way, at untimely moments. Our body is like that. St. Francis knew the value of discipline. It is hard to be with Jesus. But once you are with Him, He will make you a great personality. Your words will tell like strong bullets which force their way into the hearts of men. Jesus says, "You have been with me and gained experience, the Holy Spirit will help you to witness."