小珊的难题 - Anna's Problem

放学了！学校巴士载着同学经过颠簸的路回家时，小珊闷闷不乐的坐在位子上。她最好的朋友小瑜问她：“妳怎么了？”小珊勉强地笑笑什么都没说，因为小珊心里非常为难。 

事情是这样的：小丽给小珊一个纸条，她希望她礼拜五去她家过夜，而小珊也真的很想去。问题是在这之前，她已经答应要跟小瑜要去逛街了。 

小珊叹了口气，她想：“唉～为什么都要同时约在礼拜五呢？等我回家去问妈妈的意见。” 

回家后，小珊快速的换好衣服，走下楼梯进了厨房。她说：“妈妈，我有个问题要问你，我答应小瑜星期五下课要跟她去逛街。我跟妳说过记得吗？但是今天小丽又邀我礼拜五去他们家过夜！” 

妈妈问：“妳没有告诉她妳不能去吗？” 

小珊摇摇头说：“每次去小丽家都好好玩，只是我没有住过她家，我好想住一晚。”妈妈想要讲话时，小珊抢着继续讲：“小瑜不会知道我去小丽家的。我只要告诉她我感冒或是不舒服。” 

妈妈说：“那样是说谎。” 

小珊坚持：“只是不会太严重吧？只是一个小谎。” 

妈妈指着洗手台里面的ㄧ些脏碗说：“我等等要洗碗，洗完了妳愿意喝洗碗水吗？” 

小珊困惑地说：“当然不会。” 

妈妈问：“那妳会不会喝只洗了一个脏碗的水？” 

小珊吃惊地说：“当然不会！妈妈妳想要说什么？” 

妈妈说：“一盆干净的水，只洗一个脏碗就像说一个小谎一样。虽然看起来都是小事情，但小事情却造成很大的影响。洗弄脏的盘子会影响水的清洁，说了谎影响了你。” 

小珊说：“我知道可是…”她叹了口气，她知道再怎么说都没用，她没办法说服她妈妈，也无法说服自己说谎是没关系的。 

给力好儿童！你觉得说一个谎，不会有任何问题吗？有时候说谎会比说实话容易。但请记得，每一次你说谎就会影响你的属灵生命。但如果你诚实的话，上帝会祝福你的！ 

As the school bus groaned its way over bumpy roads, Hafsah sat deep in thought. "You're awfully quiet," said her friend Erin. Hafsah just smiled.

At home Hafsah opened her notebook and read a note her friend Jennifer had given her. Jennifer wanted her to come and stay overnight on Friday, and Hafsah really wanted to go. The problem was that she had already promised to go shopping with Erin on Friday night. Hafsah sighed. Oh, why did we make plans for Friday night, anyway? I'll ask Mom what I should do?

Hafsah bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Mom, I have a problem," she said. "I promised to go to the shopping mall with Erin on Friday evening-I asked you about that, remember? Well, today Jennifer asked me to sleep over at her house on the same night!"

"Didn't you tell her you couldn't come?" asked Mom.

Hafsah shook her head. "We always have so much fun at Jennifer's house, but I've never spent the night there and I'd like to go," she said. Mom frowned, and Hafsah hurried on. "Erin wouldn't even have to know. I could tell her I don't feel well or something."

"That would be a lie," said Mom.

"But it wouldn't be so bad, would it?" persisted Hafsah. "Just one little lie?"

Mom pointed to some dirty dishes in the sink. "I'm going to run some nice clean water and wash those," she said. "When I'm finished, would you care to drink the water?"

"Of course not," said Hafsah, puzzled.

"How about a drink of the water after I use it to wash just one small plate?" asked Mom.

"No!" said Hafsah. "What are you getting at?"

"Well," said Mom, "washing just one small, dirty dish might be like telling a 'little' lie. They both seem like small things, but both make a difference. Washing the plate changes the water, and telling a lie affects your life."

"Yes, but . . ." Hafsah sighed. She knew it was no use. She would never convince her mother -or herself, for that matter- that telling a lie was okay.

How about you? Do you think telling a lie just once won't hurt anything? Sometimes it may even seem easier to tell a lie than to tell the truth. But remember, each time you tell a lie it makes a difference to you spiritually. God will bless you for being truthful!

Courtesy of Global Keys for Kids, http://global.keysforkids.org/transcript/412/english/. Used with permission.