You know, even a five year old can tell you that honesty is essential to being a good person. A class of kindergarteners were asked what they thought a good person was. Here were the top ten answers: 1. Not hitting. 2. Not lying. 3. Not taking anybodies stuff. 4. Sharing. 5. Helping your teacher or friend. 6. Not spilling your milk, but cleaning up your milk if you do. 7.Raising your hand if you want to talk. 8. Not making fun of the other kids if they cry. 9. Bringing your mom flowers. 10. Saying your sorry.
I love little pre school aged kids (k-5 included.) So raw and pure, they are not yet jaded by life and it's experiences. You know, we have all made excuses at one time or another for questionable behavior. i.e. Didn't take back the overage of change someone gave us. Told the white lie because it was better for situation or because we didn't want to hurt someone or maybe, just maybe, it slanted the situation to our advantage. Told our husband "...what, this old thing?" Most of the time, we fudge behavior when it seems small, and we do it to avoid conflict or consequences. Sometimes we find ourselves doing it while in dire straights thinking: "If i just twist it this one time, i will stay afloat...i.e. not lose this acct., not get fired, not get demoted, not lose a friend, client, dollar, account" *All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (honesty is just one way)
We have a saying in our house, it goes back to our oldest child telling the next in line, his sister, "God's watching!!" while they were before me settling a dispute.
I've noticed that so many who call themselves believers, fudge alot of the time, when it comes to common everyday things that even a K-5'er knows is wrong. Perhaps the grown up has decided that moral integrity does count in the small things. How do we come to that conclusion?
The Bible says that one sin is as great as the next. That there are no great or small sins. It says *"If you have broken the law in one thing, you have broken the law in all" In other words: Breaking the law is breaking the law. I believe the biggest lesson we should derive from that principle is the K-5 knowledge that wrong is wrong. Little five year old's have not been alive long enough to have become aware of embezzling or adultery or serial killing, so the top ten are elementary. The bible says, sin is elementary and until we become like "little children" we will not enter the kingdom of heaven, for that is what the kingdom is made up of.
There are some terrific babies i love to have with me as often as possible. The oldest is now 12 years old and the youngest 5yrs, but as young as age 2 and still today, they will say "ooooh, miss Sherrie" and they will look at me with shame and almost healthy fright for what i had coming, when i say a bi-word. Am i saying stop your bi-words? No. What i am saying is. We need to get back to weighing our attitudes and behaviors against the elementary and fundamentals of our faith. Truth is truth, not a variation. Right is right, absolutely.
Mr Welsh, former President of GE, in March '09 stated: "integrity is something that is instilled in early childhood, by the time someone reaches the job market, either it is there or it is not."
We often weigh our behavior by our excuses, what we have to lose, whom it will affect, who will be mad at us.
Just a reminder: God requires "Honest scales." We tend to use them on others, how 'bout using them on ourselves.
I challenge you to begin to use honest scales. Believe in absolutes. We have seen recently how Wallstreet and often even Mainstreet can tweek the numbers. Medical and pharmaceutical researchers are tempted to do the same on trials and the like, and are often caught doing so. Most of them think they are justified in compromising, as it is simply a means to an end. But we, brothers and sisters, have knowledge that there is no end. That this is not all there is. That life as we know it will pass away, but we will go on, to face our maker who will decide our fate in eternity; Who see's and is a rewarder of those that diligent seek him.
Before acting, making decisions, weigh your thoughts, patterns, actions, ideas, decisions, not against our flawed systems of this world, rather weigh on the scales of fundamental "Truth," let the "truth" decide if you come up wanting. Whether your words or action are balanced and measure up. In short: Use complete honesty, truth, integrity as your measure of our spirituality, morality, behavior.
Regardless of our judgment day destination. We are called to be *"Children of the Light" The Bible says: "It is shameful to even mention what the sinner does in secret or cover of darkness" ...But, we are children of the Light, so let us shine forth that we might bring glory to our God, in word and deed that others might see and glorify God... I cannot help but write on the subject. In this, one more way, we can Be the Church.
Did you know that little children are known for spotting a phony? Well, they are not the only ones. Christians, we are not our own. We are Christ's; we are in Him who is: the only way to God, the truth and the life. I can't help saying it again: Let's not fudge our way through life. Be the church, my friends, not the counterfeit!!
No comments:
Post a Comment