Will B. When will it end?

Will B. When will it end?

By the title I am referring to some people complaining about things they should be embarrassed to be complaining about publicly anyway.

More and more I hear or see posts on Facebook about people complaining about repercussions brought on by their own bad behavior or by breaking the law.

What set me off this morning was reading a post about a lady whose son was killed by a clerk who was in fear for his life by said son who was robbing him by gunpoint. The clerk shot and killed the armed robber. The mother’s response was the clerk should have never been able to carry a gun at work. I feel for the woman losing a son, but whose anger is misplaced. The anger should have been placed solely on the shoulders of the parents.

Sure, there are bad apples who have had a good up-bringing but the majority of offenders in my opinion from my years in this world and what I have seen and heard lacked parents who cared enough to teach them that there are negative repercussions for bad behavior and breaking the law.

I do not say this lightly either. I came from a home with little to no parental guidance from the time I was 12 or 13. I take full responsibility for my misspent youth but feel if I had direction and discipline, I would be living a completely different life right now or at least not have the past I had. It took me years to teach myself how to be a man and to be a responsible member of society who can contribute to a community and not be a burden to it. Despite not having the kind of parents or father to teach me how to be a man I learned despite it.

I go into detail just to reference my personal knowledge of the topic. If you don’t like getting pulled over to receive a ticket don’t break the law. If you don’t want your kids to end up in prison teach them responsibility. Proverbs 13:24 (ESV) Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Then there is the side of the officer or a justified shooter. Many people don’t stop to think about the feelings of these to group of people. When an officer enforces the laws of the community it does affect them emotionally. Especially in a small community. If you don’t think it’s hard for an officer to write tickets and arrest people he goes to church with, went to school with and shops at the same stores with you would be wrong. It takes a toll over time.

Think about the clerk who shot and killed an armed robber. Sure, he was justified in the shooting, but it will take a heavy emotional toll over the years to follow. I am not saying he should not have done it. I am making a point that people sometimes forget the other side of the story.

Please teach discipline or at least show that breaking the rules and laws carry negative affects that hurt themselves and those around them. Next time you are about to make a negative post on social media about something you should be ashamed of doing instead of blaming others, take a moment to consider how it will affect others or how it will teach the younger generation that it is okay to blame others for our mistakes.

This is Will B. saying next time you see a police officer shake their hand and let them know you appreciate them in our community.