I’m pretty sure I’ve written on this topic before. After talking to a friend about a text message her daughter received, I felt compelled to write about it again.
When I was around 10 or 11 years old, I sat down and wrote a letter to a girl who was a few years older than me. It was an ugly letter. I was upset with her for seemingly taking away my best friend. I said things like, “You think you’re it. You’re not.”
The letter never reached her hands. My parents found it first. Thankfully. Let’s say they were less than happy. A lot less.
They sat me down and read the letter to me. I can remember my dad using the word “arrogant” to describe my character in writing that. They addressed my spiritual life. They addressed my character. They addressed it all.
You see, my parents cared about how I treated other people – regardless, of how they treated me. And, revenge is another post I plan on sharing soon.
Fast forward to 2010. My friend shares with me how her daughter received a very demeaning text message. She was asked to forward that text to others. She didn’t. Her mother saw it first. But so many parents today turn a blind eye to, or even worse, join in with the cruel words their children and teenagers communicate to others.
They write ugly messages on someone else’s Myspace page or Facebook wall. They send nasty text messages. They leave behind them a path of destruction for that victim to walk through.
And, it’s grossly wrong.
We as parents must be more concerned with our children’s character and spiritual growth than we are with their talents in school or sports. We must be aware of the words coming out of their mouths and being typed by their fingers.
We simply must.
The girl I wrote that letter to would commit suicide a few years later.
So thankful I didn’t leave her in my path of destruction. And, thankful I had parents who cared about my character.
DustyTakle.com 