Jesus, Homework, and Dishes
Tonight Henry was working on his homework. He was giving it a half-hearted effort, and I felt like we needed to have (another) conversation about integrity and quality of work.
Me: Henry, you need to give this your best effort. Even if it's just reading homework, we do our very best at everything we do. Do you remember why?
Henry: Because my teacher wants me to.
Me: Kind of. She does, but who are you really doing homework for?
Henry: Myself.
Me: Yes, but who else?
Henry: You.
Me: Someone bigger...
Henry: A whale?
Me (feeling it was probably time to try a new approach): For example, when I do dishes like I'm doing now, I wash them to the very best of my ability. It's not because doing dishes is all that important. But I do them as if I were doing them for God himself. See? That's how we do everything that we do. If I were washing dishes and Jesus were to look over my shoulder, what would I want him to see?
Henry: Mom, if you were washing dishes and Jesus looked over your shoulder, he'd probably tell you to stop washing dishes and talk to him.
Point taken. Needless to say, we went back to doing the homework with whatever effort we could both muster.
Me: Henry, you need to give this your best effort. Even if it's just reading homework, we do our very best at everything we do. Do you remember why?
Henry: Because my teacher wants me to.
Me: Kind of. She does, but who are you really doing homework for?
Henry: Myself.
Me: Yes, but who else?
Henry: You.
Me: Someone bigger...
Henry: A whale?
Me (feeling it was probably time to try a new approach): For example, when I do dishes like I'm doing now, I wash them to the very best of my ability. It's not because doing dishes is all that important. But I do them as if I were doing them for God himself. See? That's how we do everything that we do. If I were washing dishes and Jesus were to look over my shoulder, what would I want him to see?
Henry: Mom, if you were washing dishes and Jesus looked over your shoulder, he'd probably tell you to stop washing dishes and talk to him.
Point taken. Needless to say, we went back to doing the homework with whatever effort we could both muster.
