...like a little child

A few weeks ago, I was a helper during children's church. One little girl, a smart, effervescent little ball of energy...disobeyed. She disobeyed her teacher, then she diobeyed me twice, by continuing what she was doing when told to stop. {a note to say that I love my friend, Crispy's phrase on obedience: the right way, right away, and with a happy heart} I took the young lady out into the hallway for a little chat, which ended with her realization and acknowledgment that her actions were, indeed, disobedient, and that a little Christ-follower should obey.

So far, this has been a lesson for a little girl, but now the lesson began for the big helper. I expected a cool grudge from her, a refusal to meet my eyes. This would be my reaction as a child. I was ready to treat her as normally as I could (i.e., the grown-up perspective - it's over and forgiven), but I expected to be rebuffed, and I was going to give her a little space. Instead, at the next opportunity to obey her teacher, she obeyed immediately, looking sideways at me with a little smile. Then near the end of our time together, she presented me with this.



When I do something wrong, I can be uncomfortable even when forgiven. I can hold a grudge for years. I can just plain not learn obedience. But I am going to try to remember this lesson - to learn from my disobedience, to obey God, to present Him my heart. Happy Valentine's Day.