John,
I wish everyone could have been in there with J**** and J**** this morning to hear the things you were teaching them about getting in trouble and answering adults with a clear “yes” or “no” when they ask questions. I felt that was not just for children – I know it was for adults too. I was blessed and I know those things will be a part of me.
A few of the things you said I wanted to write down while they were on my mind:
1) When someone is correcting you, or is telling someone something you’ve done wrong or bad, or when you are getting disciplined… that’s not “getting in trouble.” We are already IN trouble when we do wrong, and these things are what’s getting us OUT of trouble.
2). Let our “yes” and our “no” be all we need to say. When we have more than that, it’s usually an excuse, or “of the evil one” to cloud the real truth.
3) That children learn to find that spot of weakness where their parents are blind, or give up, or cannot see to correct them any longer, and how we want to avoid doing that.
4) If a friend is doing wrong, it’s good to separate from them, and then, when they ask you why, to tell them the truth, such as, “You scare me”, or “I don’t want to be friends with you as long as you are doing evil.” Be honest with them; that’s their help.
5) When you are afraid to do right because you fear someone, you cannot be who God made you. You will either be a hypocrite, or you will do something that will defile your conscience. A guilty conscience is a huge load.
I know there was other good stuff too, but I wanted to write these several good ones down while I could remember.
Gary