Snark & Sensibility

The child came to watch his sister’s soccer game and was dressed in a flimsy .coat and shorts. The thermometer had plunged from the day before, but the independent ten-year-old judged his need based on the previous day’s temperatures. He refused to believe his mother's warning that he’d be cold. After arguments, she decided, he’d only learn if he experienced a few hours of shivering. She secretly brought a blanket because she knew he’d be cold.

When he complained, his mother said, “I warned you.”

The boy simply nodded, his eyes sad. “I guess maybe you were right.”

After a while, she pulled out the blanket and covered his bare legs.

 Growing up I made a lot of decisions against parental advice. My mother would always say, “You made your own bed, now lie in it.” She allowed me to suffer from the consequence of my poor choices. Most often, compassion and love overruled, and she turned from her wrath to assist.

I suppose our walk with God is similar.

He warns us, we don’t listen. We make a bad decision against his explicit instructions. Then we complain about our discomfort. Much like the children of Israel in the desert.

I am grateful for a compassionate God. When we realize our error, humble ourselves, and pray, he intervenes and helps us overcome the results of bad choices. When we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins … he doesn’t leave us to lie in our poorly made beds.