Patterns are formulated in our youth ....

The way we behave at home, with siblings, and towards parents ...and the way we behave in school, all are a part of forming our character.

We take these behaviors into relationships outside the home, to the workplace, and even into our present future dreams ... where we may one day hope to work or the relationships we hope to one day have.

Let's take the job interview.  Do we approach it in a way as to reveal as much as we can to the employer, or to attempt to conceal things we hope they won't find out or would hopefully be overlooked??

Here is an interview:

Employer: "Is this your first job interview?"

Me: "No."

Employer: "Have you ever been employed at any job before?"

Me:  "Yes."

Employer:  "Are you still employed by them, or did you quit?"

Me:  "Neither."

Employer:  "What do you mean?  Instead of you giving me one word answers, you tell me what you mean."

Me:  "Well, I didn't quit ...they quit, and therefore I am no longer employed by them.  What I mean, is that I was working for a distribution company, and they closed down.  They didn't tell us if it was because they mismanaged the company and were forced to close down, whether they were squeezed out by competitors, or whether they just decided to move their company to somewhere else to be more competitive themselves.

Employer:  "Okay, I didn't need to know that much ...just answer the questions.  Did you ever get fired from another job, or decide to quit before you were?"

Me:  "No."

Employer:  "Did you ever have trouble with a boss, coworker, or customer?"

Me:  "No."

Employer:  "Have you ever used or sold illegal drugs?"

Me:  "No."

Employer:  "Have you ever been stopped or cited for drunk driving?"

Me:  "No."

Employer:  "Have you ever defaulted on a loan?"

Me:  "No."

Employer:  "Have you ever been convicted of any crime?"

Me:  "No."

Employer:  "Then what good are you?"

Me:  "What?"

Employer:  "Well, we are in the business here of solving problems.  If you have no experience with any problems, and have had no conflict in your life ...then what good are you?"

Me:  "I think ..."

Employer:  "No, I'm doing the interview, and I do the thinking ...and the deciding.  You seem to know nothing about any problems, so what could you offer in the way of solutions?  I say, ...none!!  When you leave, ask my secretary to send in the next person."

Me:  "Here's fifty dollars ...and I'm going to literally set it on the table for you.  I want to say something before I leave, and if it makes no sense to you, then you can keep the fifty.  If you feel the advice I give you is worth the fifty, then you can give it back."

Employer:  "Okay, that seems more than fair ...but, make it quick, I'm a busy man."

Me:  "Do you know anyone who has had heart surgery?"

Employer:  "I thought you were going to give me advice ...why are you asking for a recommendation for heart surgery?  My brother had heart surgery ...do you want me to give you the name of his doctor?  He had a very good doctor!"

Me:  "Why would you give me the name of his doctor, instead of the name of your brother?"

Employer:  "I'm not going to give out information about my brother ...you're just going to have to trust me that he had a good doctor.  Besides, it's the doctor who can tell you everything you need to know ...my brother just had the problem, he doesn't know any more about how to fix it than I would."

(Momentary silence)

Employer:  "I'll meet your fifty, and raise you another fifty. Now, take the money and leave ...but, be sure to be back here at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow morning.  I hate it when my employees are late."

Often a very sincere person who has overcome a problem can experience lasting victory ...and be committed to the rehabilitation of others who are struggling in that same area. They can even relate more and feel more comfortable with that person ...trusting that if that person had hope to overcome a similar problem, they can too.

I don't think it is so good to always tell everyone everything about us. That is not particularly healthy.

But, that all aside ...let us remember that Jesus is referred to as the Great Physician.

Jesus ...the good teacher.

People often grow up together ...and continue to grow in friendship, and that's a good thing, if it doesn't lead us together down an unhealthy road.  People can do drugs together, and commit crimes together.

But, if we commit to not do destructive things ...it's a good thing. Yet, we also have to be able to recognize that which is not good. 

And in most cases, we either grow ...or grow apart.  Yet, the part that should be valued most involves God, and we strive to grow apart from sin, not God.  If we grow apart from God, we are always closer to more and more sin ...after a while, not even letting it bother us.  If we don't get caught, or can't get arrested for it ...then it's just fine.

Adam and Eve quickly found out that they could not hide from God.  And we can't say, "Quick, here comes God, we'd better shape up!"

End times ...do we suddenly think, He's coming soon, so we better get busy.  Wouldn't we be growing and maturing all along.

Doesn't the good student behave even when the teacher is not in the room??