By Lynzie Brewer.
Last week, one of our two year old boys was climbing on a kitchen chair and took a spill. He slipped and hit his head and immediately began crying in devastation. His five year old sister was sitting at the table coloring while he laid on the floor crying and without even looking up she said, “That’s what happens when you climb on something you’re not supposed to.” I checked on our son to make sure he was ok and sent him on his way while my husband pulled my daughter aside to explain why her response was not the most compassionate or helpful way to respond to her brother in his pain. As I overheard this discussion it dawned on me: she had learned that response from me.
When you have four kids under five running around the house every day, there are bound to be falls and mishaps. I suppose in the every-day happenings I have grown a little jaded in my response. Often times I immediately jump into explaining why the choice of action that caused pain was not the best idea instead of scooping them up in compassion and great care. This has obviously become the norm around our house if my five year old is now responding to her brothers in the exact same way. This little instance caught me off guard and made me realize how much compassion I have been lacking in responding to my children in their everyday falls.
When we look at the character of God, we see the greatest Parent respond to His children in the complete opposite way that I have been responding to my children. When we make our mistakes, fall on our knees, or lose our direction, our loving Father does not look down from heaven and say, “That’s what happens when you…” or “I told you that would happen if you…” Sure, the proper discipline comes, but in the right time. His initial reaction is one of love, acceptance, and open arms. Like the good father we see in Luke 15.
“[The prodigal son] arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”
Luke 15: 20
Jesus told this parable to reflect the immense compassion and love that God, our Father, has for His children, no matter what type of fall they may experience. We can rest assured in knowing that God is not looking down from heaven waiting to say “I told you so.” We can stand confidently knowing that our Father is waiting to embrace us in his compassionate arms and ready to guide us to safety.
Lynzie is a stay-at-home mom and has been attending Grace Hills for two months. She is married to Nathan, the Church Planting Resident on staff at Grace Hills. They will be spending this year preparing to plant a church in the Oklahoma City area.