Those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, No. (Luke 13:4-5a)

Reward and punishment! A basic fact of life! In San Francisco there is a chain of pastry stores called "Just Desserts" - a clever name with more than one level of meaning. "You've been good. Treat yourself! You deserve a reward." But many of us would also think: "Too many of these rewards and my just desserts will be obesity and poor health." The law of reward and punishment, of cause and effect, of action and consequences, is a pervasive part of our lives. Professionals who work with emotionally disturbed children often have to put a lot of effort into creating a structure of limits in which the child learns the…