Cheating in school - ultimately a lack of self-respect?

I recently observed students cheating in classes. One was cheating by copying someone's homework. Others were cheating by copying others' observations about a movie being shown in class. They didn't seem bothered by this or even cognizant that this wasn't okay...shown by the them not realizing that they should hide these actions. 


My husband, Steve, clarified that cheating is actually fraud: "It is trying to pass off someone else's work as one's own."  Why does cheating seem to be so prevalent in schools today. Is it moral relativism's influence? Is it our obsession with image vs. integrity, with what we look like versus who we are inside?


Anne Morse in a Breakpoint entry had this to say:
"We must teach our kids to cling to integrity, even if it means losing that precious scholarship. We must do so—I must do so—even if it means that my sons lose out on getting into their first-choice school, and I lose the right to put that “Harvard” sticker on my SUV. I must warn my sons not to cheat even if it means flunking out of school while cheaters prosper and graduate with “honors.”
When we see others getting away with cheating, when we see our own children pay a price when others cheat, we need to put our anger aside and remember that God cares even more about our children’s future than we do. He’s perfectly aware that unscrupulous people might attempt to interfere with our—and His—plans."
(http://www.colsoncenter.org/features-columns/articles/1293-competing-with-cheating)
Are we parents ready to do this? Are we caught up in worldy success versus godly success and virtue? What is more important to us - our children's characters before God or them "getting ahead" no matter what the cost to their souls?

My daughter, Hayley, a high school freshman, commented that the cheater hurts himself and most likely will get caught in the end. He may get a good grade on homework, but when he doesn't do well on the test, the teacher is bound to notice. In other words, the cheater's lack of morals leads to his lack of subject knowledge and later failure.

Friend Dave Smith says ethics is "who am I when no one is looking?"  This touches deeper into character and even deeper into respect for oneself. 

Of Dust and Men

I've really been enjoying Dallas Willard's The Divine Conspiracy. It speaks to my mind and heart. 


Going through the verses of The Lord's Prayer and the section on "forgive us our debts," Willard mentions several key aspects:

• Don't "blunt" the lessons that God is trying to teach others (or ourselves) by taking away natural consequences.
• "...human beings are pitiable creatures that 'walk in a vain show''" so remember God's pity on us, His mercy, and that He understands that we are dust. He then mentions Psalm 103:10-14, which would be a good verse for me to memorize as a needed reminder that it's okay and expected that I will fail, that God has compassion on me and desires that I learn from these errors - that these failures are indeed a principle way in which He can make me more like Himself if I humble myself and yield myself to Him (262).

Psalm 103:10-14

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on His children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him;

For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust."

Perhaps that is the paramount aspect for me to remember - His love versus my ego-induced belief that He is judging me instead of loving and molding me through my failures. Ironically, it's by acknowledging my limits that I become more like Christ and more impacting for His Kingdom here on earth.

Thank goodness that "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all" (v. 19), that "all His works [are] everywhere in His dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul" (v. 22). 

Today, this means that I need to examine my recent failings and ask for God's mercy in dealing with some deep-rooted patterns of behavior that drive me crazy! I know that I at times act in people-pleasing vs. objective, godly ways, that I can tend to be jealous or blameful of others, and that I need to have confidence in who He has created me to be and to pursue His desires for me vs. my self-created ones. Trust issues. I'm so grateful that God has shown me these weaknesses, and that He is there to help me in His mercy and understanding, as a Father who knows what is best for His beloved child, and who loves me through my growing pains. Rest in His love; go forward in trust and confidence of His plan - for me and mine.