Imagining What Could Have Happened

Sometimes parents do things regarding their children which may leave something to be desired. However, I am not one to make judgments without a considerable amount of information supplied by the principles.

In this particular case, I am concerned that a Police Department, as it appears from their spokesperson, is a bit flippant if not dangerous, in their assessment.

An Arkansas mother is being charged with a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a minor after she made her son walk 4.6 miles to school in order to “teach him a lesson.”

Evidently the boy was banned from the school bus for some type of infraction (a guess on my part) and mom decided the walk would do him good in relationship to performing in a more acceptable manner.

Now enter the Police Department –

“There were a number of things that could have happened to the child,” said Lyle Waterworth, a spokesman for the Jonesboro Police Department. “The child could have been injured, abducted.”

Since when do we charge people with a crime (she faces up to one year in jail and a hefty fine) for something that “could” have happened. Perhaps we should arrest people who are walking in front of banks. . .because they “could” stop and rob it. How about encouraging the Police to stop every third car and write them a ticket because they “might start”, or “or have the capability” to exceed the speed limit?

Aren’t you glad God only holds us accountable for the sins we actually commit? Although we are also guilty of “sins of omission,” God never brings discipline into our life for what “we might have done” save for His grace. I usually have plenty for which to be forgiven, but I don’t have to worry about what I haven’t done. Thanks, Father.