Life Lessons

Some life lessons are hard to learn...

And, as a parent, some life lessons are hard to teach...

This has been my experience over the past week.

Our second grade son, Franklin, has made the choice to "cheat" on an Accelerated Reader reading contest in school. He has taken tests on books that he has not read, and has even admitted to "looking onto other computers." Unwise choices...

Franklin has been in FIRST PLACE for the entire second grade at his school. Because the school is so large, it has been a big deal to receive the recognition at the Awards Ceremonies. Franklin has "beamed" each time his name was called and he received applause.

Thursday night, his teacher called to let us know of the problem. Although, she had addressed it with him, Franklin did not change his behavior. There had been no consequence.

However, on Friday, Reid and I realized the severity of the situation as we looked at a report that stated Franklin had taken 229 Accelerated Reader tests over the last six weeks. What!?! 229 tests?!? Talk about being "blown away."

Reid and I wanted Franklin to realize the seriousness of the situation. We wanted to address this as Christian parents molding a child with Christ-like character and integrity.

We had a long talk on Saturday about honesty, lying, deception, cheating, and the consequences of sin. It was a good talk and Franklin seemed remorseful and receptive to the correction.

Franklin had to write a letter to his teacher apologizing for cheating. He had to withdraw his name from any recognition or awards associated with the AR program. And, what he liked the least, he is required to read for 20 minutes here at home every day through the end of the school year.

This has made me realize how I like to treat my own sin. Do I continue to do things that I know are sinful until I must face the consequence of those actions and choices? Isn't that where we like to think we can stay?

If my remorse over my sin only strikes me once there is a consequence, then I have the wrong view of sin!! May I be mindful of my own heart. May my motives and my choices be honoring to the Lord in every area of my life.

Hard lessons...and I am also still learning!