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Wednesday, September 19, 2007
This week was the Book Fair at our kids' elementary school. You know the drill - your kids beg and plead to pay quadruple for a dollar store toy or book just so they can say they got something from the Book Fair. I could set my foot down and say no but then I'd have to deal with my own issues of looking like a horrible mom for not letting them get something like all the other kids. So, I caved, okay? Each boy was given a certain dollar amount and after school came hauling in their loot. Even though each boy got to pick out what he wanted, the green-eyed monster got ahold of my Youngest when he saw his Eldest brother had gotten a calculator that looked like a flip cell phone. Let me first say this kid cares nothing about Math, but he loves to get attention so undoubtedly he believed this little prize would boost his cool factor. The wheeling and dealing began. "Come on, brother! I'll trade you whatever you want! I'll give you a baseball card. I'll even clean your room!" Nothing was working until he said, "I'll give you FIVE DOLLARS for that calculator!" Big brother perked up a bit. "Five dollars? I only paid two dollars for it...You are on!" Here's where the trouble started. Youngest didn't have five dollars. He never does his chores and has no prospect of EVER having five dollars especially considering he is always willing to pay dearly today for what will be worthless to him tomorrow. He is already shaping up to be Citibank's best customer. Or their worst. What was his solution? He snuck in his dad's wallet and got five dollars and gave it to his older brother. The Eldest completed the transaction with a smile not knowing where the money had come from. All he saw were $$$$. When he told Dad about the profit he'd just made, warning bells went off in his head because he knew Youngest didn't have any money. Long story short, Youngest 'fessed up to having taken the money. He immediately began crying his eyes out. Dad took pity on him and used it as a teachable moment to explain how bad sin made us feel but that God was gracious when we asked for forgiveness. He then tried to gather our son up to comfort him. However, instead of curling up in his dad's arms, he pouted up and refused to be hugged. It made no sense whatsoever! He'd done wrong, gotten busted, been shown way more mercy than he deserved, and yet he was angry! How many times have I done that very thing?! Getting called out when we've made a mistake is painful, but what keeps us from accepting mercy when it is offered? Pride from having to admit we were wrong? Shame for having been so gullible? Fear for what others will think of our weakness? The Jewish nation responded to Jesus in this exact way prompting Him to lament, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." Luke 13:34 It took a while, but my son finally let me hold him as he cried and said he was sorry. It was a heartwrenching few moments for him, but wow, what a burden was lifted for both of us when it was all over. This scene with my own son made me understand just a bit more the love the Father wishes to pour out on us if we will simply cease striving and allow Him to gather us to Him in mercy. It will take humility and perhaps many tears, but O the comfort that awaits those who will allow themselves to be wrapped in His embrace!  Please visit my personal blog, The Preacher's Wife. Labels: Comfort, Compassion, Forgiveness, Lisa's Articles Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post “For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” ~ Matthew 25:42-43 (ESV) When I worked at the church office, many people stopped by to request help. Help for food or for shelter. Some days it was really bad, especially during the summer months. Most of the time I felt compassion, but some days I was ‘bothered’. Before you get upset, let me explain where the ‘bother’ comes in…I didn’t know when people were lying to me. Did they really need the money/food voucher to buy baby-formula or were they looking to get the next bottle of gin. Yes it happened that those vouchers were ‘converted’ to alcohol or even drugs… The other day I was thinking back to the days when I was short--I had no time to be ‘bothered’ with the needs of others. Did I ever take the time to truly listen to their stories? Why were they on the street? Why don’t they have a job to pay for food or rent? I have to admit that I only listen to the ones that had children. It broke my heart having a family standing in the church office begging for money. But what about the transit that stopped in? Yes, he might have smelled bad, but I am sure he was not always a transit. I am certain at one point he had family—he had a house and job. To tell you the truth, I wish I would have asked him why he was living on the street. He might have been a veteran who never found his way back into society. He might have been really sick—couldn’t pay the medical bills. So now he has to leave on the streets because they took his home and family. I will never know since I never ask to hear his story. How about the young woman who was a drug addict? Why was she so broken deep down inside? Why did I never ask her to tell me her story? I am certain that she experienced something terrible in her life—her way ‘out’ were drugs… “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” ~ Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV) Some days I forget how much my Lord has blessed me. I never had to go hungry, I never had to sleep under the stars (except by choice); I have always been healthy. I have to realize thought that all this can change in a blink of an eye… “Lord of Heaven and Earth. I am asking You today to open my heart to the needy. Open my ears to hear their story. Help my to show compassion as You have shown me. Lord, I know that You have blessed me beyond words. Thank you, Lord…In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen.  You can also find me at my personal blog Sting My Heart This devotion was in part inspired by the song “The Twenty-First Time” by Monk & Neagle Labels: Compassion, Iris's Articles Leave a comment... 10 Comments Links to this post
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