A Faculty Fireside – by Mrs. Bazen Higgins
Here we are, deep in the vast school year with spring break miles away. If your work ethic or attitude isn’t seaworthy by now, you’re going to start taking in water pretty soon. So, here’s a patch kit and repair instructions as you shape things up in the middle of the year.
Mr. Higgins, on September 7, 2023, the sunny first day of school, gave us a convocation talk entitled “The Year of the Raggant.” At the end of this talk, he introduced the phrase “high discipline, low drama.” That was almost 3 years ago, and to this day, this phrase is a crucial reminder. High discipline, low drama is something every Christian needs to continually think about in order to be effective in his or her efforts.
High discipline:
Scripture clearly compels and commands us to live a life of self-control and discipline. (Proverbs 25:28): “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” And Paul, when talking about preaching the Gospel, says, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”(1 Corinthians 9:27) These passages are talking about being highly disciplined individuals who are not taken over by intruders or are shown as hypocrites in their faith. High discipline is self-bossing! This is trudging along and completing your reading when you don’t want to. This is repenting of your sin right away. This is getting the grades in and getting out of your warm bed on time. This is eating the sandwich your mom gave you, even if it has tomatoes on it, and making sure to wash your hands when Mrs. Hall asks you to.
Low drama:
When we are dramatic, we are taking ourselves or the situation out of proportion to what is fitting. The book of Ecclesiastes is about the vanity of life and the triviality of our work. We are not the center of the universe, and someone has gone through what you are going through right now. God does whatever He pleases, and He does not need us to finish His work (but by his grace He does use us!) The mood of Ecclesiastes is pretty somber, but it picks up by reminding us how God blesses us and how we are to enjoy the good gifts He’s given. Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 says:
“’Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”
When you are a child of Christ, you know things are not a big deal because, One: God’s in control. Two: You are going to heaven. Three: you can’t do anything to ruin God’s plans. And number four: He has revealed to you all that He wants you to do, and because of His son’s work, He is already pleased with you! So, yes, there are things in life that are a BIG DEAL, but in Christ, you have no worries and nothing but Christ to boast about.
There are very few people who have both of these virtues, high discipline and low drama, because they are balancing virtues. So you are probably bad at one or the other. When you notice where you are lacking, thank God for the clarity and a dose of humility, and get after it! Don’t freak out, but also, get your stuff done! Take your work more seriously and yourself less seriously. High-Discipline-Low-Drama it up people! God is good, so get after it and go glorify Him!
—Mrs. Bazen Higgins