Of course, no one believes this. I reached the age of "maturity" when I was 18, and I could even drink when I was 21 though I chose to wait till I was thirtysomething. I really did change when I got into my 30s, and I am not anywhere close to the guy I was before except for a few personality quirks. I still consider the things I did and said back then as things that I still need to take responsibility for. I tell my children the same thing, that there is no such thing as being just a kid. There are some things, however, that they do not need to worry about as kids. For example, a drivers license, or a job, or marriage, or dating, but I don't ever want to hear them say I don't have to take that responsibility because I'm just a kid. Let's say my 15-year-old did commit a crime as a juvenile. Let's say I found out his crime that he committed as a juvenile. My son had better know and expect that he is going to be treated as a criminal. I will be taking him to the police, and I will support his sentencing for the appropriate punishment. Though I do expect to have a lawyer on hand to make sure that everything goes the way it should it according to our justice system.
If my son, God forbid, ever did commit a crime I would not allow him 12 years later to say "I was just a kid." I believe in taking responsibility for everything we do in our lives whether we are children at the time or adults. Suppose my son was trying to use the statement "Well that was more than 10 years ago and now I'm a changed man, I've given Jesus my whole heart this time and that person who did that crime was not me." Well, that's too bad. You still committed the crime, and you still have to live with the consequences. If my son were to step up to a mic and accuse innocent people he didn't like of committing the crime he committed I would then call my son on the phone and inform him that he was hypocrite, and he should keep his mouth shut or I was going to go find duct tape for him. I would say, "I don't care if you are an adult, I will teach you humility and respect even for those you don't like." Ok, that last part may be hard to pull off, but I sure wouldn't give him a free pass.
If my son, God forbid, did commit that crime and 12 years later informed us that God forgave him, and his victims are okay, then I would inform him that he needs to keep his big mouth shut and let his victims speak for themselves.
My children know better than to steal, and my children know better than to touch somebody without their consent, and my children know better than to lie, and my children know better than to hide a mistake so that they can do it again. If my children break any of these rules that they know, they don't get to say 12 years later that they are changed, that Jesus loves them better, and that this is been a valuable experience for them. No, they get to say "I'm sorry", and that's all. They get to say "I have nothing else to say but that I am still so very sorry." If they say otherwise then I will have to find duct tape.
I need to find some duct tape for a few people that are outside my family right now, if anyone has an opportunity to help me help them help themselves take responsibility. One guy shares the same first name as I do and I am tired of seeing his name on my newsfeed on Facebook so I'm not going to write his name here, but he'd better get some duct tape quick or say the right thing and take some responsibility no matter how long ago was he committed the crime.
And to my kids- you don't get a free pass because you are underage. Do the right thing today and every other day of your life, and you have no worry about duct tape from me or crazy screaming news feeds full of crazy opinions about you.
