Tattling

My children love to tattle on each other - the problem with tattling is, of course, that technically the tattler is always correct - the other one is doing something wrong. I have to confess I get to the point when I make a general announcement to all four of them that unless a transgression is life threatening, or at least dangerous or damaging to something, then please do not tell me.

I wonder whether King Darius wanted to say - "Can we not just leave this one alone - stop tattling" when his officials ran in to tell him what Daniel was up to - praying no less to God and not the king.

"But you said no hats on Wednesday..." this is the sort of ridiculous argument I get caught into, "And she is wearing a hat." So then I have the choice of repealing the rule - which there was a reason for in the first place, no doubt, or enforcing it. Darius has to enforce - he cannot repeal - he has dug the perfect hole for himself and Daniel.

But just because they are right does not make the officials any less childish for jumping up and down. We can turn many things into moral indignation, we can often find right is on our side but we must examine our motives. Our actions, however correct, may be deemed childish if our heart is turned to anger or jealousy. Act always out of love, love for God and love for each other. Justifying any other motive will make us not the childlike people Jesus wants but the childish ones who damage ourselves and others in our quest for justification of self.