Today’s society is infatuated with fame. Getting your fifteen minutes is so important to some people they will lie, cheat, and steal to get it.
A woman, with her attorney beside her, tells the world she’s won a large lottery jackpot. The news media fawns over her the first couple of days, then starts to question her honesty. Too bad they didn’t question her before, then they wouldn’t have wasted their time. A singer goes on a talent show claiming to be a wounded vet, even showing a photo of himself in his uniform. The picture turned out to be someone else. If the show had done some research beforehand, they wouldn’t be embarrassed by what appears to be falsehoods by this man.
These two did what they did for possible fame. I’ll almost guarantee they will be on at least one or two television talk shows discussing what they did. The worse part isn’t that they lied to get attention. The tragedy is they both have children. These parents are the same people who are shocked when their own children lie or cheat.
Proverbs 22:6 states, Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. If you raise your children to be honest, they will be honest. Just as if you raise your child to steal, they will steal.
And children learn from watching.
Do you walk through a store eating grapes as you shop? Then when you get to the checkout, you don’t pay for the grapes you’ve eaten. “Oh, it’s not that much,” you say to justify. You’re probably right. But you’ve just taught your children to steal.
Have you ever asked your child to keep something secret from your husband? Maybe you didn’t want him to know you went to the mall so you told your daughter to tell him you were at Grandma’s. You just taught your child to lie.
We all hate to pay our taxes at the end of year. But if you aren’t completely honest on that tax return, don’t be surprised when one of your children cheats on a test.
Children are taught by way of your actions. Lip service doesn’t go far if you aren’t doing what you preach. If you want honest thoughtful children, treat them and others that way.
If you don’t show your children the correct ways to act, don’t be shocked when they behave just like you.
Good one, Kathy.
Thanks, Wanda.