Last week I went camping with 20 Cub Scouts, ages 7 to 11. Six days of rain and spiders and raccoons, six days of endlessly repeating, “Put that rock down!,” six days of incredibly bad food at the mess hall.
On the positive side, it was six days of realizing that every kid (not just mine) is working on something. While some have bad tempers, others have trouble with lying, some don’t listen at all, some are anxious, some don’t understand boundaries, and some have yet to connect cause with effect. Every single child (and, yes, every adult) has ways in which he or she needs to grow.
Having weaknesses is normal. We don’t need to fret over the fact that we’re imperfect, or condemn others for their imperfections. We can focus instead on how to make progress. It’s a far better way to glorify God than bemoaning our failings.
