A dynamic boy in grade eight in a school in Puducherry’s Karaikal died after consuming a cold drink which was poisoned by a mother of a girl of the same class. Police enquiry found that the mother of the girl was angry, envious and upset that the boy stood first and her daughter could not compete with him. Solution is eliminating the competitor. (NDTV 5 September 2022)
Covetousness: The tenth commandment prohibits coveting of neighbors’ possessions. (Exodus 20:17) This woman was not content with a daughter God has given in her life. She coveted smart or gifted children and expected her daughter to perform like them.
Pride and popularity: Some parents do not have self-esteem and inferiority complex; they wish to bask in the glory of their children’s achievements. It is not about the child’s progress or welfare or future, but for their selfish fame.
Envy: In this case, the woman became envious of the boy who stood in the way of her daughter to stand first in the class. Instead of encouraging or coaching her daughter, she chose to eliminate the boy. Cain also could not measure up with the standard of righteousness or devotion of his brother Abel, so he eliminated him. (Genesis 4)
Anger and unrighteous vengeance: The woman was angry with the situation and her daughter’s inability to scale-up to become the first in the class. She considered taking out vengeance on the innocent boy. She saw him as a hindrance for the success of her daughter.
Murder: The mother conspired, poisoned the cold drink. She came to school as the boy’s relative and gave it to the boy through the security guard. The boy drank, began to vomit, was admitted in the hospital, and died.
Obsessiveness: Among the younger generation there is an obsessive drive or insatiable desire for success, popularity, and prosperity. And there are no moral restraints to reach that goal. Everything is fair in the mindless drive towards such goals.
Hunger for success and popularity are dangerous goals for young parents and children.
Do I have an insatiable hunger for success and popularity?