How to Combat Cheating, Lies, and Mischief in Your Children

My husband and I have been blessed with five beautiful children. I pray for each of them regularly – they are sinners who, like me, are in constant need of God’s grace, wisdom, guidance, and conviction. Many years ago I started praying a specific prayer for them, not realising at the time how important that prayer would be, or how effectively and faithfully God would continously answer it. 

One of the most potent prayers that I pray for my children, much to their dismay :), is that they will be caught if they wander into cheating, lies, or mischief. 

I pray purposefully and intentionally that God will expose these as they come up (and they will!). 

“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.”

Psalm 119:71

When our children’s sins of cheating, lying, and mischief are brought into the light and they experience disciplinary consequences for these, they learn that they they can’t get away with dishonesty. 

I have always told my children that one of the prayers I pray regularly for them is for these sins to be exposed, and they have seen the Lord answer my prayer time and time again. Even when they are sure they have hidden their cheating well, covered up their lies, or concealed their mischief, each time I find them out, they directly attribute it to the prayer I prayed. 

This is a good thing. 

It Shows Them That God Answers Prayer

Firstly, it confirms to them that God indeed answers prayers; their mom’s prayers in particular, in this case. This means that when I tell them I’m praying for their salvation, for them to be diligent in their schooling, for them to find godly friends, or for a specific situation that they are struggling with in their lives – they think, “If God answers mom’s prayers to find out that we’re cheating or lying, etc., then God will answer mom’s other prayers, too!” 

It Teaches Them the Fear of the Lord

Secondly, the fear of the Lord comes upon them time and time again as they become aware that even though their mom may not know that they’ve cheated, lied, or gotten into mischief, God does! He is present in their lives, in their rooms, and in their minds. All is laid bare before the King of Kings:

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:13

Shortly after I began praying this prayer, cheating, lies, and mischief seemed to be rampant. However, it only seemed this way because these sins were being exposed more readily by the Lord, in direct answer to my prayer!

It Exposes Their Sin

So, how has God responded to this prayer of mine?

• I’d accidentally find a note I wasn’t supposed to that one of the children wrote, which disclosed important information.
• I’d overhear them saying something that I wasn’t supposed to know.
• I’d start to suspect that they weren’t being honest in a certain area, and ask them about it head on (even though I’d have no reason to doubt them).
• Or they would actually tell me their sin voluntarily!!!

Plus other creative ways that God has revealed their cheating, lies, and mischief (such as me randomly deciding to declutter a cupboard in one of their rooms and finding stashes of forbidden goodies that they eat at night – true story :))

My children soon realised that they didn’t stand a chance in transgressing in these ways while their mama was praying, so these sins lessened!

We know someone who often says,

“Don’t trust your children so much!”

At first, I didn’t like him saying this. I felt defensive of our children, wanting to believe the best about them, and that they are trustworthy cherubs. 

However the truth is, that my children, as well as yours I dare say, are susceptible to temptation, dishonesty, lying, thieving, cheating, mischief, and all manner of evil. Falsehood is one of the very many character traits they need to grow in as they mature, as you and I have had to do. 

Praying for God to expose these sins truly is effective. It is the Lord’s prerogative to bring these to the light where they may be dealt with honestly and lovingly. When our children keep things in the dark it affects their relationship with God, their parents, and often others. It is our privilege and responsibility to be instruments in the hands of our Lord in leading them constantly to the Light of the World – Jesus!

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:7

It is a worthwhile endeavour to think about how to combat cheating, lies, and mischief in your children, my friend, and be encouraged that you can do so one prayer at a time!

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I’d love to hear how God has answered your prayers in exposing sin in your children. Please comment below. 

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