Christian is one of my favorite kids although as he is now in high school I guess he is technically out of the kid classification. He is also one of five siblings in his family. It recently hit me that I had written devotionals about his three sisters and his one brother. I wrote about Bethany telling me I dressed like a girl at school one day because I wore a pink shirt. I wrote how Margaret for years has rated my wardrobe on a daily basis. I wrote how Elizabeth Katherine, now a senior, painted the Last Supper on a ceiling tile in my classroom. And I wrote about the day Gabe was born, only fourteen hours after his mother, our elementary art teacher, endured an Open House for Prospective Students. But never had I penned anything with Christian as the central character. That changes tonight.
I mentioned in my opening line that Christian is one of the youngsters I really like, especially as I have watched him grow up at WCS and turn into a budding football star. But like all of us, Christian has a weakness. Our school dress code policy requires a school uniform and that policy also includes the wearing of a belt and keeping the uniform shirt tucked in. A shirt out often just receives a reminder and a warning but pants with no belt is an automatic detention. Christian has many strengths but this has not been one of them. In 8th grade, I got on him regularly about both issues. He was very respectful and promised to do better- I don't think I ever gave him a detention. Sometime in middle school, I do a two for one deal.
You can take a detention today or don't but if you don't have it right tomorrow, it's two.
Sometime after Christmas this year, I saw Christian in the hall one day and out of the blue, I made a deal with him.
"If you go the rest of the year and I never see you without a belt, I'll give you five dollars."
Guess what? Seven regular school days to go in the 2014-2015 year and Christian has kept up his end of the bargain. In fact, he takes pains to show me he has his belt on! I think he's going to earn the five spot. Do you know who is thrilled? His mom! She's even offered to pay the $5 herself but that would take away my sense of satisfaction. What's the big deal about a belt? Well, it holds your pants up and I've learned it's a good thing if it matches your shoes. In Ephesians 6, Paul uses the belt as part of the Gospel Armor. How does Paul describe it? THE BELT OF TRUTH! In a world of deceit and lies and dishonesty, the truth is desperately needed. In John 14:6, Jesus defined Himself as, "the way, the TRUTH, and the life." And here is a bit of truth that Christian is coming to grips with. Sometimes you just have to do stuff because that's the way it is. The world of adults runs on order and appearance and if we never learn that lesson, it's to our own detriment. Christian is learning and he's making five bucks in the process. I'd say that is one very smart young man. And that's the truth.
Applicable quote of the day:
A well-tailored suit is important - and I don't like wearing belts with mine - it should be tailored to your body.
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