Caught Red-Handed
One of my favorite cartoons features a cute little boy. His mom told him he couldn’t have a cookie. So what did he do? When he thought Mom wasn’t looking, he took a cookie, of course.
What he didn’t know: Mom was watching. He was caught red-handed.
He tried to deny his guilt. But they both knew better. He held in his little hand clear and undeniable evidence.
That doesn’t sound much different from adult behavior, does it?
Every day people get caught red-handed.
Yet, they:
- Blame others.
- Twist the truth.
- Try to cover up the facts.
- Deny the facts.
Everyone knows what happened and who did it. The evidence convicts them. Like someone with blood on his hands after killing a person or animal, they get caught red-handed.
What kind of example does that set for children and youth? How can adults expect young people to do what’s right if they don’t?
It’s time to set the standard for good behavior.
- Admit guilt when wrong.
- Apologize for damage done.
- Correct the problem, if possible.
“I’m sorry.” “Will you forgive me?” Short simple words that need to be used more often.
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16, ESV).
Thanks to my great-nephew Kaleb for modeling a behavior I’m sure he would never do.
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