A few nights ago while I was working on getting dinner ready, I heard a thud and a wail coming from Wyatt’s room. I didn’t even have to miss a beat stirring the veggies by taking a look to see what happened. I already knew.
Wyatt, in all of his infinite superhero glory, jumped off the second tier of his bed and landed wrong on the floor. He was crying hard. I tried to work up the motherly concern that I needed in order to comfort him but it was slow coming. I’d told him so many times not to jump from there and what would happen if he had a bad landing.
Today my son got to experience the full impact
of not heeding his momma’s warning.
So I set down the spoon and walked slowly into his room, shaking my head in a disapproving manner.
“Buddy,” I said to him, “how many times has Mommy told you not to jump from that level?”
He was now burying his face into his pillow, having climbed back up into the bed in fear of a mean, mad mama comin’ to chat… He muffled something that I couldn’t comprehend.
I kept up the reproach. “Did you hurt your ankle?”
“Yesh.” Was what I heard muffled through the layers of cotton pressed into his mouth.
“Do you now understand why Mommy told you not to jump from so high?”
“Yesh.” Again…starting to wonder if the kid will come up for air.
So I asked one last question. “Have you learned your lesson?”
There was no mistaking his next answer.
“Noooo!” He was still wailing at this point but very defiantly wouldn’t give in to the fact that I was right and he was wrong. This crying little boy wasn’t going to admit defeat.
What a stinker! How incredibly badly I wanted to turn on my best childish voice and say “But I told you so! Why don’t you listen?”
But then I had to stop and consider – how often does God utter those words about us?
“But I told you so! Why don’t you listen?”
I wonder if He shakes His head in disapproving fashion at the reluctance to obey and follow His command?
Maybe. Maybe not.
But I’m fairly certain that I know no One who so freely hands over
grace, mercy and love the way that He does.
It’s the same old story of God’s people defying the path He set for them. Nothing has changed. Time and again He shows us the path we need to follow but when we don’t He disciplines us accordingly. He lovingly reprimands us, and, instead of appreciating that love as discipline from a father to a child, we vow to be good for a time and then pick up the old habits again.
Why is that? Why is it so hard to adhere to the will and the way of the One who will never steer us wrong?
Just as I was there to give my son sound advice and to keep both of his ankles intact so is my Redeemer who leads me along straight paths and never allows my steps to be held back. Just as I ask Wyatt to turn his ear to my words, so does my Father in Heaven ask me to do the same.
I wrote a post many months ago about learning to trust your Daddy. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process. And as often as I will tell my children throughout their childhood to avoid certain things in life I know that they will experience heartache from bad choices.
But above all else, I will teach them this:
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. (Psalm 47:4-6)
And I know that, if they believe those words, in the end those ankles will stay intact… 😉
*****
Today I’m linking up with the following authors to share my story:
Holley Gerth and Coffee For Your Heart
Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory
Simply Beth with Three Word Wednesday
Jennifer – what a beautiful moment of God showing his grace and mercy. Loved this, “It’s the same old story of God’s people defying the path He set for them” I know this well. May our hearts continue to hear his gentle reminders to live a life of grace with our children and others.
Thank you for your words, Jolene. And for visiting!
Jennifer, what words of wisdom. I struggle with “I told you so” and my daughter’s not even a year old! Right now there’s more compassion than anger, but I’m sure as she grows my expectations of her will change, and with them my temper.
What a lovely reminder that God’s love never fails us, even in the moments when He could say “I told you so.” I need to learn to grow in compassion and love like our Heavenly Father.
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Asheritah!
Yes, so often God could rightly say, “I told you so.” How grateful I am he doesn’t. Just lifts my chin and extends His hand to pick me up again. (Even if I have to limp along with aching ankles)
Beth, it’s almost embarrassing how often I still have aching ankles. When will I ever learn? 😉
Oh, I needed to read this tonight! I need to do more delighting and less whining right about now ;).
Anita, I feel the same way. 😉
So true. So simple and yet so hard.
Needed this reminder today. Dealing with a situation with someone where I want to shake them and remind them that they know better. Praying that the Lord will win him back.
Praying for this person’s situation, as well, Ali. Thank you for visiting.
The verse you shared has really been on my heart recently. I have two situations in my life where He’s reminding me to trust in Him. To remember that He knows the desires of my heart but more than that . . . to trust that His ways our always good. Trust Him is a process and I am so thankful for His grace. Thank you for sharing with Three Word Wednesday, Jennifer.
Blessings.
xoxo
What beautiful words of grace. This line struck such a chord: “But I’m fairly certain that I know no One who so freely hands over
grace, mercy and love the way that He does.” Thank you for sharing your gift! TWW
Thank you for sharing your heart.
Oh if we would learn to listen to our Father.
Thank you Jennifer for sharing. You have a way with words that really make a person stop and think and it’s so relatable ? Always enjoy reading your blogs.