Do What Is Right, Not What Is Easy

Charlotte Jewish News September 2021

By Mariashi Groner

Many families raise their children on the foundation of a set of 12 verses from a variety of our sacred text. Each verse teaches and inspires us to reflect on our behavior, practices, and life. One of the verses, טיבמו וילע בצינ ׳ה הנהו יוארכ ודבוע םא בלו תוילכ ןחובו וילע is the basis of our motto this year. The literal translation is that we must recognize that Hashem (Gd) is always watching us and that the world is full of His presence, as He knows what we’re thinking and feeling and knows if we are actually behaving as we should. Pretty powerful and awesome! Each one of us — children, teens, and adults, can absorb this message in a variety of ways. It can come across with a touch of fear, possibly awe, and/or awareness.

In fact, I remember when I was little, I made a choice that probably was not the best, and I wasn’t too worried, because no one had seen me do it. Little did I know that my mom had, and she approached me. I clearly remember being so surprised, and I said, “How did you know that I did that? She answered, “Hashem tells mommies and daddies because he wants to make sure you learn how to behave.” That was some 54 years ago, and that lesson has stayed with me until today. We are so fortunate to have a Creator and Master of our Universe who is in touch with all we do, think, and feel.

I bet that at one point, we have all been faced with the dilemma of taking the easy way out. Too often, making the right, best, and meaningful choice takes far more effort than making other more convenient choices does.

Therefore, the message that we have taken from this verse for our students this year is “Do what is right, not what is easy!”

What is it that drives us to make the right choice and not take the easy way out? Often it is when we know we will have to be accountable, either to a boss, a teacher, or a parent. Ultimately, our own intrinsic rewards are not always as effective. Knowing that there is a higher authority, One who is cheering us on, shouting, “You’ve got this,” and ultimately expecting us to make the effort, is a powerful tool.

Children are still developing and building the strength of character and determination to sometimes take the harder road toward their goal as opposed to the easy way out. It is a tough job. That is why we would like to start planting the seeds early — so that the children can discriminate between the right and the easy.

Children love choice. They enjoy feeling some power and some control over their day, activities, or food they eat. This is a wonderful opportunity to allow them that experience of considering what they want and layering that with the question, is it right? Or is it just easier and quicker? The conversations and discussions are endless, and at the same time, we introduce the concept of G-d being everywhere, constantly creating the world we live in and supporting us as we make our way through the maze of life.