My children were quietly painting with watercolor paints while I talked on the phone. The quietness soon erupted into the sounds of conflict and unsupervision.
"What is going on in there?" I yelled.
"Talia and Isaiah are throwing paint at each other!"
I took the paints away, rebuked them both (but especially Isaiah), and was given an excuse. "Mom, Talia started it."
"I don't care. How old are you?"
He held up five fingers for me to see.
"And how old is she?"
Two fingers were held up, and he nodded his head sadly to indicate I was right, it was babyish.
"Do you think you ought to be following the example of a baby?"
He shook his head slowly.
I made him help me wipe up the mess. Still trying to find an angle, he tried again. "But, Mom, the Bible says, 'Do unto others what they--'"
I didn't let him finish. "Nice try. The Bible says, 'Do to others what you would have them do to you,' not, 'Do to others what they have done to you.'"
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