It isn’t easy watching anyone suffer the consequences of making a poor choice, especially when it’s a loved one, but the reality is that we’re all human and bound to make mistakes now and again.
And while the inclination might be to somehow “save” our loved one from the consequences, taking advantage of a teachable moment might be more valuable in the long run than momentary relief.
That said, everyone concerned is capable of learning something from the experience. I always wonder about the “Why?” What was the motivation was that promopted my loved one to make the choice she did? I speculate that it came down to “being liked.” Or being not liked. In any event, I’m grateful that the lesson was learned at a relatively young age; this particular lesson usually takes decades to learn, if at all.
What pressure our kids–and their parents and their teachers–must be under these days! How, with the Internet and social media, TV, movies as their major influencers, are they supposed to navigate the perils of puberty with its accompanying feelings and emotions safely? How far will we go, just to be ‘liked?’
Probably every elder generation has asked that same question throughout the centuries, so I have faith that the answer will somehow be figured out. By living, we learn.
Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. ~Job 34:4
