Why?

A weird thing happened to me today. I found out that an organization that has nothing to do with us, Christian ministry or parenting had created a website using our name and a welcome video using our stated purposes, requesting that you give your name and e-mail address to join the “Legacy Moms Movement.” Well, I’m still not sure what their real intent was in this, but needless to say since Legacy Moms® is a registered trademark, those things have all been removed from the internet.

This got me thinking today about why some people will do things that they clearly know are illegal, unethical, immoral, or deceptive, just until they get caught. My guess is that when you have no moral compass or framework to judge right and wrong, then it is easy to think that the ends justify the means and that rules, laws and boundaries only matter when someone enforces them. The question is, how can we; as moms, teach our children to do the right thing-just because it is the right and moral thing, whether or not anyone would ever find out or not?

I believe the answer is in the way we present rules, boundaries and consequences. If we tell our kids what to do and what not to do, and imply that the only reason we obey rules is to avoid to consequences, then we are raising kids that can act moral when they need to, but don’t really have morals in their heart. This leads to adults who only stay within boundaries and laws when there is a risk of getting caught, and spend a lot of time finding ways to sneak around and hide their actions and choices. It also leads to the false belief that whatever pleasure or benefit comes from the choice is worth the consequence if and when it comes.

The remedy for this is to know why we do certain things, and why we don’t do other things in light of God’s Word because He is God and His Word is Truth. There is an absolute standard of right and wrong and it is found in the Bible. If we do the right thing because we love Him and have a personal relationship with Him, because we want to honor Him, and because we know that the boundaries of right and wrong laid out in the Bible are there for our own good, then we more often make moral decisions that hold others in high esteem and show personal dignity and responsibility. It’s not to avoid consequences, it’s because it sets us apart as believers. It’s all in the “why.”

By the way, if you happened to go to a site that you thought was us, and it sounded like us and what we are all about, yet required you to give your information to join, please let us know, especially if you are contacted for any reason.

Genesis 50:20 (New Living Translation)
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good."

Blessings!