Obedience Brings Blessings
Tonight Clayson had Cub Scout Pack Meeting. Each month they discuss the theme for the month and have an activity that applies to the theme. This month's theme is honesty. They had a game where the boys would make paper airplanes and fly them into a grouping of bowls. Each bowl was worth different points. The boys were to keep track of their points on their own as a way to practice being honest.
The leader stood up and explained the game. He instructed the boys to make an airplane and line up to start the game. The boys took their pieces of paper and some preceded to ask a parent to make their planes for them. It was great to hear the parents support their children in making their own planes and not doing it for them. I saw this as a way to practice being honest as the instructions were for the boys to make the planes. Instructions were given and planes began to take shape. A few of the older boys decided to take a short cut and crumpled their paper into balls claiming that was their airplane. The other boys began to notice and some followed their example crumpling up their airplanes to make a ball.
Clayson and another boy behind him, we'll call him Dalton, saw what was going on and started to desire to crumple their planes into balls too. They recognized that it wouldn't be fair to try and fly a plane into a bowl while the balls would be easier to control and therefore gain more points. At the same time, Dalton's mom and I both explained to our boys that this game was about honesty. It was not honest to use a ball when the instructions were to make an airplane. In our minds, and the boys, those using the balls were cheating. We both tried to help our sons realize that being honest was more important than winning the game and getting first pick of the candy bars. It was hard for both boys at the age of 10 to smile and agree. There was no arguing just sadness.
The first two rounds of throwing the planes and balls our boys got the points and no one else. I was so happy to see that there would be rewards for being honest. The Lord had something else in mind, however. At the end of the game Dalton came in second and Clayson third. Neither boy got the first pick of candy bar. The best candy bar was taken and even though Dalton and Clayson got to choose next the other candy bars were the same. This was a situation where we don't get the immediate reward but have to have faith that we will be blessed for our obedience.
A quote that we heard recently came to mind.
The leader stood up and explained the game. He instructed the boys to make an airplane and line up to start the game. The boys took their pieces of paper and some preceded to ask a parent to make their planes for them. It was great to hear the parents support their children in making their own planes and not doing it for them. I saw this as a way to practice being honest as the instructions were for the boys to make the planes. Instructions were given and planes began to take shape. A few of the older boys decided to take a short cut and crumpled their paper into balls claiming that was their airplane. The other boys began to notice and some followed their example crumpling up their airplanes to make a ball.
Clayson and another boy behind him, we'll call him Dalton, saw what was going on and started to desire to crumple their planes into balls too. They recognized that it wouldn't be fair to try and fly a plane into a bowl while the balls would be easier to control and therefore gain more points. At the same time, Dalton's mom and I both explained to our boys that this game was about honesty. It was not honest to use a ball when the instructions were to make an airplane. In our minds, and the boys, those using the balls were cheating. We both tried to help our sons realize that being honest was more important than winning the game and getting first pick of the candy bars. It was hard for both boys at the age of 10 to smile and agree. There was no arguing just sadness.
The first two rounds of throwing the planes and balls our boys got the points and no one else. I was so happy to see that there would be rewards for being honest. The Lord had something else in mind, however. At the end of the game Dalton came in second and Clayson third. Neither boy got the first pick of candy bar. The best candy bar was taken and even though Dalton and Clayson got to choose next the other candy bars were the same. This was a situation where we don't get the immediate reward but have to have faith that we will be blessed for our obedience.
A quote that we heard recently came to mind.
"Obedience brings blessings. Strict obedience brings miracles."
Miracles will come because of the boys obedience and honesty. They didn't receive the miracle of the candy bar but they will, over time, be transformed from who they are to who they can be. They will be looked on as examples and people that can be trusted if they continue to live as they did tonight. A great opportunity was presented tonight to teach a valuable lesson to two impressionable boys.
What an awesome story on Honesty. I think the boys learned a great lesson here. Save this for a lesson down the rode. I do believe Obedience Brings Blessings.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and hugs for those boys!