There’s an old story about a farmer who sold butter to a baker. The baker complained that the farmer was selling his one-pound blocks of butter an ounce short. He measured the next shipment and, sure enough, each block was off an ounce. The baker sued the farmer.

The judge asked the farmer if he had accurate weights to measure his butter. The farmer replied that he didn’t.

“Then how do you weigh your butter?” the judge asked.

“Easy,” replied the farmer. “I just buy a one-pound loaf of bread from the baker and use it on my scales.”

The basis of all moral thinking is the understanding that all actions have consequences. Children need to be taught that good actions produce good consequences while bad actions produce bad consequences. Like the Scripture says, “They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7).

This is one of the most important lessons of life.