The Jacket

I have been listening to C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity (because actually reading a book would require way too much attention from me!!). Lewis writes about The Law of Human Nature and how we naturally have within us a conflict of Right and Wrong. I relate so well to the example he uses in which you see someone on the side of the road in need of help your first instinct is to help them yet you also naturally want to avoid helping to keep yourself safe. I can't even count how many times I have felt this way. A few times even putting myself in danger like the time I picked up a boy at 10p.m. in the snow to only find out what they show Invention may be all about when it comes to someone on drugs...or the time I convinced my older brother to pick up a hitchhiker- He probably never accepted a ride again after I read him out of my 1001 Best Joke book for an hour... The point is we have convincing arguments within us to either do the Good or to avoid doing Good.
Not two days after "reading" this, thinking it sunk in and committing to accepting the good side (as long as I was safe anyway..) I had an opportunity to see if I naturally really had become better. I am being very honest here try not to judge!! Rock and I with baby Titus went to play at one of our favorite parks on a chilly day. It was only 64 degrees we were bundled well and having a great time. Shortly after we got there another mother rode up on a bike with her little girl probably 18 months old both were in tank tops. My very first thought was "come on mom, put clothes on your sweet baby it is so cold out here" !! I found I was upset with her and felt so sad for that baby girl. I overheard the mom say "Oh I should have put a jacket on you" then she got on her cell phone and chatted away with a friend. I looked over at the little girl who was happily playing but literally shivering. I remembered I had Rock's jacket in the car and thought as soon as she is off the phone I'll ask her if she would like it. That time she kept talking allowed the battle to begin within myself. I thought "No, I don't want her to feel attacked by me asking she will  surely feel my judgement" and even worse "I LOVE the extra jacket that is there Rock looks so cute in it and it matches a pair of pants" The later statement was more of a hold up then any of the others that crossed my mind. Finally she got off the phone and I told her I had a jacket if she would like it. She said "Yes Please!" and Rock and I went to get it. I handed it to Rock and told him that our friend didn't have a jacket and we get to share with her. Rock hesitated at first but when I explained it more clearly  he happily handed over the jacket then ran off to play. The mom said "Thanks" and walked away. Later that day, Rock, to my surprise happily told his grandma beer and daddy that he gave his jacket to his new friend! I didn't realize he had paid so much attention to the situation yet he was truly proud that he "chose the right"! Rock talked about it all night and told me how the little girl didn't have a jacket and he gave her his! He was so excited about it.
 I felt sick to my stomach reflecting on my true and honest feelings in the beginning.  I felt sad that I considered not getting the jacket because of the walk to my car and the cute jacket it was.Especially, considering the sweet little girl who was the one in the cold and to my little boy who learned a small lesson that he will remember at least for that day!
I wrote this not to say how giving we were on that day or how others parent their children but to share a lesson I thought I learned already. And maybe help someone else commit to doing more good more willingly. I thought of the scripture in Mosiah 3:19 "For the natural man is an enemy to God...unless he yields to the enticing of the Holy Spirit and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive , meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father"
Mostly, the next time there is an opportunity to help or serve in a small way I hope I don't let it turn into such an inner battle but I can naturally arise to the occasion and easily do good. I can say I received far more than I would have keeping a jacket that Rock could honestly care less about! The reward of seeing Rock so proud of a kind gesture is priceless as any parent would agree. We want our children to grow up to be good but it requires that we ourselves are good willingly. The act doesn't matter as much as the feeling behind the act. I know just as well as so many that what we say does not matter as much as what we do and how we do it. 
I couldn't help but laugh however, as Rock excitedly told Ben all about the park and the jacket -Ben acknowledged his good choice then looked up at me and asked "But what Jacket was it?"