Published 10/3/19
By Greg Johnson
What If...
You’re a pretty good student in almost every subject–except math. When it comes to desiring to do homework in that subject, well, let’s just say you’d rather do anything but that.
Unfortunately, of course, you can never get out of it. You’ve begged Dad to help you with it, secretly hoping he would just tell you the answers (which he did sometimes). Even Mom has been a help when you were stuck. But now, we say well help you do the problems, but you’ve got to get the answers yourself.
Panic sets in. Your brain just doesn’t understand the material. You’re afraid that if you don’t do well on the homework, you won’t get the five dollars we promise you for every A or B you get on your report card.
All of a sudden, it comes to you.
I’ll call Jerad and tell him I’m just checking my answers with his, you think. I’ll ask what he got, then say “That’s what I got.”
A brilliant plan indeed. In fact, it works the first few nights. Jerad doesn’t catch on to what you’re doing. But we do. Every night after dinner, you’ve been escaping to our room to use the phone in private. Unfortunately, you forgot how funny it might look if you took your homework in there with you. After a few more days, Dad comes into your room before bedtime.
“Why are you taking your math homework into our bedroom with you every night when you say you’re going to use the phone? You haven’t been asking us for help on it lately. How are you doing in class?”
Questions to Think On
• You’ve just been busted, but there is probably a way to skirt around the issue so you don’t lie, but you don’t tell him the whole truth. What would you do?
• Do you feel pressured from your parents in any way to get great grades?
• Is getting good grades more important than not cheating to do it?
• Mom and Dad: What would you rather have, a child who gets good grades by occasionally “fudging,” or one who does his or her best while getting Cs and Ds—but who never cheats or fudges on homework or tests?
What Does God Have to Say?
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
(c)