Good Times

This morning I have to write about something we watched on TV last night. 

Some of you likely remember the 70's TV show "Good Times" and it's iconic character JJ.  The show is set in a Chicago ghetto and revolves around the daily life of the Evans family and their neighbors.  The family consists of father James, mother Florida, eldest son JJ, daughter Thelma, and youngest son Michael.

In the episode Angie and I came across last night Michael was having difficulty with a neighborhood bully.  This was causing differing concerns and responses from the parents.  Finally James had directed Michael to "take a stand" against the bully in hopes that the bullying would come to an end.

Later that day Michael was late getting home and Florida was getting quite concerned, as only a mom can.  Then Michael came in and had not a scratch upon him and the rest of the family was stunned.  They asked what had happened that he had not been touched?  He said you can ask him, the bully, because he had invited him to spend the weekend with them in their home.

As the story progressed James told them they needed to study so Michael sat down  and the bully initially sat with him.  However he grew weary of it quickly and tried to get out of it, even demeaning Michael for it.  At this point as he was becoming increasingly belligerent James took control of the situation by taking his belt off and carrying the youngster to his bedroom to administer a good old fashioned spanking.

When this was done the whole family went on to explain how this worked, that some could whip the devil out of you out of concern and caring.  This was difficult for the young man to understand as it was obviously a new concept.

For us it served as a clear reminder that we must be diligent in discipline with our children and that we also have a responsibility, God-given, to aid in pointing others in the right way.  Today James would likely have been brought up on child abuse charges, when in reality he was heroically filling a void in the life of this child.  Let's work together to bring up a better generation, with God we will.