If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it! One of my students told me that her dog had eaten her homework slip.  I looked at her with the look that says, “Really?”  She should know better than to expect me to fall for that one.  But guess what?  She pulls out a half-eaten homework slip with a parent’s note on the back explaining what had happened.  I got a chuckle out of that one.  I laughed about it throughout the day.   So I guess her excuse was actually a reason.

As parents we hear excuses all of the time.  Children love to blame their siblings for any of the problems.  How often do we hear, “She made me do it, Mommy!”  When Amber and Ashley, our two youngest, were about three years old, they had the chicken pox.  We kept the calamine lotion on top of their chest of drawers.  I rubbed it on them when they were itching.  I came in their room one afternoon, and they had rubbed the lotion all over their legs. Not only was it on their legs, but it was on the rug and every other thing they had put their hands on.  Mind you, I had only left the room for a few minutes.  When I returned, they each pointed to the other one. Even at this young age, they already knew how to blame someone else.

When I check homework at school in the mornings, I hear all kinds of excuses. “I didn’t understand it”is the most common one. In many cases, they didn’t try.  I also hear, “I didn’t have time.” I often ask, “Did you have time to go on your social media account or talk on your cell phone?”  Yes, parents, you get blamed, too.  They say, “Mom or Dad kept me out late” or “They wouldn’t help me.”  That is why we insist on a note to excuse incomplete homework, otherwise demerits are issued.  There is also the popular excuse “He did it first!”  We get that one all the time.  For some reason, when a child gets in trouble for something we hear, “Johnny didn’t get in trouble.”  How is that for an excuse?

It is so refreshing when you correct a child and he says, “Yes, ma’am!”  He doesn’t try to get out of it or blame someone else.  When I ask, “Why didn’t you do your homework?”I would much rather hear, “I didn’t want to” than the student make an excuse.  I don’t know if you have ever thought about it or not, but an excuse is a lie, which is sin.

We expect our children to own up to it when they mess up, but we don’t own up too well either.  I hear as many excuses from adults as I do from children.  Adults make excuses for their children’s shortcomings, for not disciplining their children, for speeding, wasting money, being late, not losing weight, not doing our work, not attending church, and so many more areas of our lives.  Many times, the adults use their children as an excuse just as much as the children use their parents.

I must admit!  I make my excuses, too!  Isn’t it time we own up to our shortcomings?  Shouldn’t we say we haven’t made this area a priority in our lives instead of making an excuse?  We haven’t disciplined our children because it is hard work.  It is easier to give in and let them have their way. We waste money because we are not disciplined.  We haven’t told ourselves no in any area, especially where spending or food is concerned. We are late because we didn’t get out of bed in time.  We didn’t get our work done because we would rather do something else, waste time, or are just plain lazy.  We don’t go to church because we would rather be somewhere else, or it is just takes too much effort.  Wow! We sure are spoiled! When you really look at the excuses we make, we need to apologize to the children.

When we make an excuse for not doing something, we are lying to ourselves and others.  It is time to say I didn’t compete the task, whatever it may be, because I didn’t want to bad enough.  It is too much work.  It is time to make a change!  Spring is a good time to start.

With our Heavenly Father’s help, we can all change.  Our weaknesses can become strengths through the loving care of our Lord.  It won’t be easy, but we can do it.  Many people in the Scriptures changed when they met the Savior.  Peter changed!  He was a work in progress, but when he met the risen Lord face to face, he was a changed man.  Paul encourages us in Philippians 4:13 with these words, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  Yes, we can!

Isn’t it time we quit lying to the Lord and ourselves!  Take the initiative!  Stop making excuses for the sins in our lives and claim victory.  I am a work in progress!  How about you?

Mrs. Worthington has five children and eleven grandchildren.  She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.