Will work for food

Coretha Henderson, a 14-year-old from Edmond, Oklahoma, was chronically tardy and sassed her teachers. In order to vividly demonstrate the ultimate consequences of such choices, her mother made her stand on a busy street with a sign that read, "I don't do my homework and I act up in school, so my parents are preparing me for my future. Will work for food."

Some people disagree with this choice of behavior modification, calling it a form of psychological abuse. Read the entire article from USA Today to see their argument.

I think that the Mom was being fairly creative in providing a glimpse into what future lies ahead for people who don't finish school successfully. If a person makes the choice to be a poor student, to not try, to be mouthy with their teachers, and the like, then the consequences of those choices are unemployment and begging for handouts.

(Incidentally, some years ago when I lived in Texas, there was a well-known scam going around: a guy stood on the corner with his pathetic, bedraggled child and a sign "will work for food." Most passers-by were too busy to actually provide him with work, but they slowed down long enough to give him 10 or 20 dollars. By the end of the day he was pocketing $900. I stopped and told a "will work for food" guy to hop in, I had plenty of yard work at the church he could do. "Well, you see, I have this bad back." "That's OK, you could help me with some filing." "Well, you see, I told some other guy that I would be here when he came back." I told the guy that he was scamming, that he had no intention of working, and that if I drove around the block and came back he better be gone or I was calling the cops. He left. Now, lest you think I was cruel and uncompassionate, the Bible says "If a man is not willing to work, neither should he eat.")

What do you think of Coretha's punishment? Do you agree or disagree with those who called it abuse? What effect did it have? Is all punishment that succeeds in changing behavior correct and God-pleasing? Respond in the comment section.