From Cindy
Recently, I had the privilege of meeting up with a former teaching partner. While reminiscing, we recanted how we had both enjoyed working together for so many years because of our philosophy of discipline. We used to say to a child who had done something wrong, “Oh, too bad, that was a poor choice.” Our tone and steadfast stand allowed the children to see they had made a poor choice, and could change their behavior. Our partnership in clear, unwavering discipline made our students feel safe and made our classrooms run very harmoniously.
With this week’s lesson on the prodigal son, I thought about how the son “came to himself” or realized he had made a poor choice and could at once change his behavior and be in harmony. It is much like being porter at the door of thought. If we admit a thought that was a poor choice, we can immediately turn from it and choose the right. We don’t have to wallow around in poor choices, and use them as an excuse.
Our choosing the good and rejecting the wrong, demonstrates the harmony of God’s government.
At a very difficult time in my life, I was choosing to be angry rather than seeing what God had always been doing for me even in the difficult times. This same colleague, in effect, told me I was making a poor choice to be angry. She said she couldn’t be around me at lunch anymore because I was too negative. That got my attention! And, she was right. I saw I was making a poor choice in letting anger cloud my view of what God had been and was doing for me all along. I then chose to let God, good, govern. What a welcoming back to harmony! Soon good was evident in all aspects of my life. Lots of new views of harmony flooded in. What a gift! And, my colleague doesn’t even remember saying something to me!
When we get into confusion, anger, or whatever, we can “at once change our course and do right!!” This is confirmed in Science and Health. “ If you believe in and practise wrong knowingly, you can at once change your course and do right.” * I am grateful to know that a wrong choice is merely nothing, and that turning to the right and good is the only reality.
* S&H. 2
Thank you Cindy! Good reminder. ♥️
Thanks Cindy for posting this. When I thought about it, I love the idea that the teacher reminded him or her they had made a bad choice. But implied in that is “now you have a choice. Make a better choice.” I find that heartening . And encouraging. Thanks Cindy!