Today, one of my grandchildren had his first piano lesson. What enthusiasm! What interest! What intended dedication!

But, of course, there will come the weeks of daily practice that lie ahead. And, since he is being home schooled by my wife, we will have the pleasure (?) of seeing to it that he sticks with his practice. You know that that means!

How like counselees this is. They often (not always) start off with a great ambition to make the requisite life changes necessary to honor God. But soon, practice becomes rigorous. And unless they determine from the outset to stick with it, they will never reach the place where, like the computer buff in a previous article, they find it more difficult to go back than to press forward.

He operates by stars and other stickers that he receives for good work (I know because I’ve watched him with his violin lessons). But, you can’t give counselees stickers each week when they do well—or can you? Sure.

Of course, I refer to verbal counselee stickers and stars, not to literal ones. Do you think to commend counselees when they have done well? There are counselors, I suspect, who come down hard on failure (as, perhaps they ought to from time to time), but how about a whoop and a holler when things go well? Do you break out the Pepsi for your counselee to celebrate when he has passed a true milestone?

Just a reminder. It’s worthwhile. Remember, God has determined to say to those believers who excel, “Well done you good and faithful servant.”