The Tattletale Disciplined
IllustrationTestimony★★★★ONE day my brother did something he shouldn’t have and I seized the opportunity to get him in trouble. “Ooooooh, I’m going to t-e-l-l!” When my father came home, I was the first one at the door.
“Guess what he did?” and I proceeded to relate all the details. My father disciplined my brother, and I enjoyed knowing that my brother was suffering. Soon after my father dealt with my brother, he called me to come to him.
He proceeded to discipline me! I quickly questioned him and pleaded with him, “But I didn’t do anything!”
My father disagreed, “Oh yes, you did. What you told me could have been corrected, before I showed up.
But because you wanted to hurt your brother and wanted to see him in pain … because you didn’t help him and want to see him delivered from pain, I am going to make sure that you know what it feels like to hurt too.” I never forgot that lesson. It has since reminded me of the importance of being a restorer.
The point
A father disciplines both a child for his misdeed and the tattletale sister for tattling with intent to harm, teaching the lesson of restoration over punishment.