In 1992, there was a high-school teacher outside of Chicago who found an
unusual way to punish students when they did something wrong. They had to stay
after school for detention, but not just your normal detention. That didn't seem
to have much effect. No, the guilty students were being forced to stay after in
the Frank Sinatra Detention Club. There, for 30 minutes, they had to sit utterly
still no talking, no homework, no snoozing and listen to Frank Sinatra sing
old songs.
I think it's brilliant here was a teacher who found a way to make detention
more fun for him, but less so for the kids. One senior said, It got to where I
couldn't stand it. It was so boring. Now, please understand, this teacher
wasn't totally heartless. He let the students sing along if they wanted to, but
nobody ever did.
And the students learned that if they do something wrong, there is a consequence
a very negative consequence.
It is especially important for young people to learn at an early age that
choices have consequences. In terms of their later success, it is one of the
most important lessons they will ever learn. All too often we make decisions
without seriously thinking about the long-range consequences.
Someone once said, Most of our big mistakes are due to lack of forethought
rather than intentional misdoings. In other words, most of the time that we do
something wrong, it's because we haven't given enough thought about what will
happen as a direct result of our actions.
Which of us isn't able to look back at something we've done in our lives,
something really stupid? And we can see what's happened in our lives over the
years because of that stupid action. If we had only realized how it would affect
our lives and our family and our friends and the church, and how destructive it
would be, then we never would have done it. And we would do anything to erase
the damage, but we can't, because we committed the act and like it or not, we
have had to suffer the consequences that resulted.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will
also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but
he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Galatians
6:7-8)
May we seek to make decisions that will bless our lives for years to come.
Innisfil, ON, Canada
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