Spiritual lessons from Michael Scott - “Scott’s Tots”

Season 6, Episode: “Scott’s Tots”

It’s hard to pick my favorite Office episode, but “Scott’s Tots” has to be right up there. In this episode, the audience is made aware that years earlier Michael has promised scholarships to a whole class of underprivileged youth if they graduate from high school. Well, they do. And the day of reckoning comes, when Michael has to make good on his promise.

I just--I fell in love with these kids. And I didn't want to see them fall victim to the system. So I made 'em a promise. I told them if they graduated from high school, I would pay for their college education. I have made some empty promises in my life but, hands down that was the most generous.

Hmm. It’s easy to be generous when it doesn’t cost us, isn’t it?

Michael’s motivation was good, as he thought he would have the money by then:

I'm not a millionaire. I thought I would be by the time I was thirty, but I wasn't even close. Then I thought maybe by forty, but by forty I had less money than I did when I was thirty.

When Michael finally meets the students he gives them the bad news. He tries to make his catastrophe right by offering them…laptop batteries.

Now, I can't pay for your college. But you don't have to go to class, to be in class. Online classes are a viable option to a traditional college experience. [unzips suitcase] And the best way to access those courses is with your own personal laptop. Which is rendered useless, without batteries. And I have one for each of you.

Ouch!

The Bible says that a godly person “keeps an oath even when it hurts…” (Ps. 15:4).

Have you ever promised something you couldn’t deliver?