When is it OK?

If I'm a little fuzzy or confused in judging right from wrong I refer to these simple checks: is it scripturally right or wrong? What would my mother say? And lastly, how would I react if my children did it?
Now I am a grown woman and my mother did a fair job of teaching me (and many others) right from wrong. I don't recall a time growing up when I was left in a fog without clarification on how to follow a moral compass. I don't remember a specific event that created a need for my mother to tell me that stealing was wrong but I did indeed know that to take something that didn't belong to me was a 'no-no'. I can't say that I ever had to be told not to hit others with a baseball bat, I don't think she ever had to remind me not to spit on the floor or not to use a broom handle on the neighbor’s cat; perhaps she taught by example as those are things she would never do. I do remember being told it was not nice to trap John and Alva Lynn in the junk house even though at the time Becky, David and I felt positive they deserved it. I somewhat remember being scolded about my smart mouth and about cleaning the bathroom, and making grades in school. I even remember the worst whipping I ever got from my daddy was for laughing from behind the couch because Becky was getting a whipping. It was crystal clear from that point on that making a joke out of someone else's grief was unacceptable behavior.
I remember as a teen that my mother hated the word 'turd' and we were not to use it. My daddy took offense to ever being called stupid therefore we were strongly discouraged from referring to someone that way. We were, however, allowed to point out their ignorance and occasionally we labeled some as idiots. It was unacceptable to refer to someone as a liar even if they were, simply because if they truly were lying they knew it. If they didn't know then it was likely they were only mistaken and not lying at all.
However, it wasn't until my own children used these words and terms that I heard them as truly offensive. To hear one child scream 'stupid' at another is like hearing a chandelier fall from the ballroom ceiling and shatter onto a grand piano. The reverberations echo painfully in your head. It's almost paralyzing and energizing simultaneously to hear your own flesh and blood referred to as 'liar' by their sibling. In one smooth motion, like a spinning superhero or a graceful ballerina your lungs expand and your heart drops like the chandelier.
Thirdly, but certainly not least, is scripture. I would say that the perfect, complete and inspired word of God would be an excellent place to challenge the opinions and principles of social acceptability. If we took our thoughts and opinions to the mirror of certainty for a selfie we might find the truth to be unarguably reflective. We might say it resembles the second or third chin that we deny having but the camera always finds just below our smile; I can't see it with my own eyes but I can certainly see it in the mirror or the photograph.
When I first began this post I had the question before me: when is it okay to hate? I have never been a fan of the word or the attitude of hate. Many times I have told my kids, please don't hate. Find a different way to express strong dislike or dissatisfaction with someone or something, but please don't hate. Remove yourself from the situation or stomp your foot but please don't hate. Choose to be different and learn from the situation but please don't hate. I also realized as I put together my little how to on reading the moral compass that this little recipe is worthy of the abbreviated title 'when is it ok?' Period.
When is it ok to tell a little white lie?
When is it ok to cheat on my homework or test?
When is it ok to not correct a billing issue in my favor at a restaurant?
When is it ok to speed through a school zone, run a red light, or park in a handicap spot?
If you are confused on these we can talk off line but what about the tough ones...socially?
When is it ok to take liberties with my taxes?
When is it okay to talk about the happenings in my neighborhood, church, family?
When is it ok to balk at authority?
When is it ok to disrespect my spouse, my boss, my child’s teacher?
Whatever my entanglement is, I should look at it objectively, open-mindedly, honestly; assume and be willing to admit that I am wrong and change my behavior. Mentally, ask my mother for her permission. Visually see my child in the circumstance and give them advice. Literally search the unshakable Word for the final answer and proceed with confidence.