Re: [TruthTalk] More wisdom from Dallas Willard

[Terry Clifton]

Debbie Sawczak wrote: For the collection: I remember very little physical discipline, but I did have some; mostly symbolic. They are not the incidents that stand out in my mind, though. This is one of the ones that do:   When I was about six my sister and I (she's about six years older than me and was always virtuous) went to the store for milk or bread or something, and I furtively stole a bubble gum. On the way home, I was swinging my arms and my sister saw something in my closed hand, and asked what it was. It was the gum, of course, and she told me how wicked that was and what a lot of trouble I would be in. When we got home she told my mother. I didn't know quite what to expect; I'd never done anything that bad before. But my mom didn't get angry. She didn't punish, shame, or lecture me. She didn't tell me what a bad thing I had done. She knelt down and looked me in the eye and put a hand on my shoulder and said, "That was stealing. [No need to say it was bad; I gathered that.] Go back to the store and tell the man, and apologize and give it back. Jesus is with you. [That was a favourite line of hers, Jesus is with you.]" So I did. And that was the end of it. No more stealing, ever.   The other memorable incidents are like that too. That was the style in which important lessons of behaviour were taught in our home.   Debbie =================================================================== Smart mom, blessed kid.