During Christmas break, we were hanging out with our grandsons. During a quick errand to the store, they found a game they just had to have. This was a new edition of a classic game, it is called the ‘Cheater Edition’. I wasn’t thrilled, but they convinced me that it would be fun, and if you cheat, you wear the handcuffs while you are in jail. We gave in and bought the game.
When we got home, we read through the directions. The rules said there are many ways to cheat. If you cheated, you had to tell on yourself once you have gotten away with it or you get caught. Once you confessed, you check on the ‘Cheat cards’ and saw what your reward or punishment was. This was a terrible idea. Yes, you had to confess, but not only did this game encourage cheating, but it rewarded anyone that got away with cheating. As we began to play the game, the boys and my husband really got into all the different ways to cheat, and we all tried to catch the others in the act of cheating.
After the game we talked about all the ways to cheat; not moving the correct amount of spaces, stealing money from the bank, not following the rules, lying, and even moving other people’s game pieces. We all got a good laugh when I explained that I kept forgetting to cheat, and I ended up winning the game. That could have been the moral of the story, but that’s not where this story ends.
My husband sat the boys down and talked to them about the game. He told them that at the end of the game, he felt guilty about all the cheating he had done. The boys jumped in and said they felt the same way. My husband gave them a choice…. They could take the game to their house and let their parents decide what to do, or they could throw the game away. The boys immediately started talking at once. In fact, they took things to the next level. They decided to tear up the cards, the play money, the box, even the gameboard. These sweet boys wanted to make sure no one else would have to go through the guilt they experienced if anyone found the game in the trash. We told them they could keep the handcuffs, the game pieces, and dice to play with other games.
These boys made us so proud as they made a great decision. They decided it feels better to play that traditional game by the old rules where no one is taking advantage of others. They learned a great life lesson that day; whether you are playing a game or just trying to make your way through life, not only is cheating, lying, stealing wrong, when you do these things is doesn’t feel good. I love the sweet hearts of these boys.
‘Finally brothers, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable- if there is any moral excellence an if there is any praise- dwell on these things.’ Philippians 4:8
