NAUGHTY CORNER

NaUgHtY CoRnEr

'Nawteechild.com'! That's a phrase permanently on one my longtime admirer's bbm profile...and he sure is...lol...i have thought of spanking him many times (if possible) or simply sending him to the naughty corner.

“Naughty Corner! What's that?”…that’s a concept I learnt about from my young married friends. It is supposed to replace the traditional disciplinary measure of flogging the children (another western invention, if you ask me). When the child misbehaves, he’s sent to one secluded area of the house tagged ‘Naughty Corner’.

Question folks: 'is it working?' How come no one taught my parents that idea, cos I sure got a lot of spanking…lol

The concept was brought to mind again in a discussion at job with Nevashini (not real name), my white South African friend (don’t laugh, I’ve got only a few of them…lol). She couldn’t handle the concept that God could love and want her more despite her past.

So I painted a picture she could relate with. On a beautiful Sunday, home with the kids, you rushed to the toilet for five minutes and return to find that your children ( two cute blond boys aged 6 and 4 by the way) spilled paint all over the centre rug in your living room, broke the TV and your family picture whilst playing. OMG!!! What would you do?

Short of whipping their ass, she said she’ll send them to the naughty corner and proceed to clean up the house. I went further to ask, how would you feel if after cleaning the house and forgiving the kids, you invite them for lunch and one of them says, ‘No mummy, I can’t have lunch, I’ve been such a naughty boy today’

After a while you return and say, ‘come honey, don’t worry, I’ve cleaned up the mess and forgiven you, come take some ice-cream ’

…but he insists and crying too…'I really sorry mummy, but I’ll remain in the naughty corner as long as it takes, I’m not good enough or deserve the ice-cream...’

By this time (in the conversation), Nevashini had tears in her eyes. She cried because in the story, her son refused her love and forgiveness; she cried because she’d been in the naughty corner so long declining God’s outstretched arm of grace…'Oh no!’ she thought, ‘how sad He must be’

Friends, that’s the situation with some of us today in our relationship with God. I’ve failed to forgive myself severally, ashamed to pray, refused to pick up the microphone and sing in church because in my heart, I felt I wasn’t worthy. Heads up people! It’s time to Get Out Of The ‘Naughty Corner’.

In Proverbs, it says,”…though the righteous fall seven times, he will Arise…”, that’s the punch line my friends, we can arise even when we fall. Great Grace, God’s Grace.You've got all it takes to Excel & be live free!

Till we meet again, exercise your liberty in Christ please avoid the naughty corner, don't even think about joining nauteechild.com...lol. Luv ya.

Beryl