I don't like being told what to do...

My son Cooper was mowing the yard the other day.  This Summer it is exclusively his gig. I have let him help with sections in the past but mowing has been officially added to his list of chores. Bill or I will go out and watch him or check for some missed spots as he is mowing, but I am trying to let him learn how take care of the yard. The first week he was mowing, I watched him just go all over the yard making more turns than and curves than a trip going up the side of a mountain in Colorado. I looked at him and said, "Son, you have to mow straight or you are going to miss some sections". He quickly respond with, "Dad, I am not the kind of guy to go in a straight line".  I didn't know if I should laugh or if I should whip his behind. I just shook my head, chuckled, and told him he was gonna have to go back and fix his spots he misses because he doesn't go in a straight line. I think there is part of that in all of us though. We like to change who we are or go against the flow just because we don't want to be told what to do. 

The Washington Redskins may lose millions of dollars just because they won't change their name. (Thanks to the US Patent office revoking some of their patent.) Daniel Snyder, the Redskins owner, from what I can tell won't change mainly because he just doesn't want to be told what to do. He wants to make a point. He doesn't want to go in the straight line like everyone else. He is gonna have to pay some for that but he seems to think it is worth it. 

Honestly, I think Cooper comes by his dislike of going in straight lines honestly. I don't really like being told what to do. You just have to understand their are always consequences to not going with the flow. You have to work harder for one. It may cost you something. In Coop's case he had to go back over some spots he missed. In the Redskins case, I am already printing out Redskins Suck T-Shirts and don't have to worry about paying for the right to print them. (Just Kidding but I know someone has already started that)

The good thing about not going with the flow or doing it your way, you may end up finding a new better way to do something. You may make a stand for something whether it be good or bad. We do have to understand God has place spiritual authority over us to keep us going the right direction but we have to understand who that is and when that is applicable. David understood that Saul was in authority over him as king so he spared his life but you can't say that he did everything Saul asked him to do. He was more interested in what God had called him to do. 

As a parent, we need to understand the fine line between our kids being human and rebelling them trying to understand how things are supposed to be done. None of us really like being told what to do. Sometimes, we have to let them learn that straight lines are better.