With a stern look on her face she asked, "Are you allowed to jump on your parent's bed like that?' Innocently her grandson replied, "Sure,...... as long as they don't see me!"
Unfortunately a lot of us live our lives just like that. As long as we don't get "caught", we find ways to cut corners, rationalize our choices, or make excuses for our behavior. Compromising one's values and moral standards is a dangerous practice. At the very best it's a "slippery slope" that will lead us to places we would have never imagined we would end up. Ask any addict how they got to where they are and they will tell you a story of little compromises that led to bigger compromises, more excuses and a growing ability to rationalize their actions because of their current situation. The same is true for most criminals, those who get involved in prostitution or pornography, and almost anyone struggling with a negative personal habit, behavior issue, or moral failure.
There's no shortage of examples for us to consider. Just ask Tiger Woods how he ended up on the front pages of virtually every newspaper in the country for all the wrong reasons. And while we may not be as visible as the "Tiger Wood's" of the world, compromise and rationalization is no less of a danger to those of us who are just average, normal, hard-working folks......even if we do call ourselves a Christian.
One of the best things we can teach our children (and the students here at CCS) is the importance of establishing their values and standards in advance. Life will come at us with unexpected speed. When we least expect it we will be faced with a "slippery slope" situation where our choices will be tested. By making some decisions in advance we will have a ready answer. Relying on situational ethics is a recipe for disaster.
We should also remember , and teach our children, that no matter how many excuses we can come up with for our behavior, others around us can usually see right through that. They know whether we know they know or not! The can see through the facade of smoke and mirrors we put up to cover the compromises we've made. We certainly can fool some of the people some of the time, but we need to come to grips with the fact that we can't hide from the choices we make. Sooner or later others will know who we really are and how phoney our excuses may be.
The answer is to live a life of integrity. To establish your values and beliefs, and then consistently live out those choices in your daily routine. Integrity is usually one of those qualities you can see in a person, as is the lack of integrity. Let me challenge you to live a life of integrity and help us teach that lifestyle to the next generation.
Getting Honest with the Man in the Mirror
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