Mercy

Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;

Yes, our God is merciful.

Psalm 116:5

The other day I invited John (6) and Aaron (5) to go with me to a classic car show that was in town. Upon hearing this invitation, Benjamin (4) came to ask me if he could go. I told him no. Still as most persistent 4 year olds he kept asking until I had to tell him why he couldn't go too. 

My reason? I couldn't trust him to not touch the cars. Of course upon hearing this he pledged and promised he wouldn't touch the cars, but I knew he couldn't keep that promise. So I held to my no.

Today as I was cutting some hot peppers for our taco supper, Benjamin came over and wanted to try the pepper. I told him it was a hot, spicy pepper and didn't give him any. He told me over and over again "I like it hot pepper, I like it spicy." Matthew (3) in his silent way also asked for some, and I told him this isn't what you think it is. 

Still they wanted a taste so I cut them each a teeny tiny piece to try. Benjamin said he liked it and Matthew seemed to echo his words in his own silent way, still I didn't give them anymore. Because despite what they said, that pepper was too hot for them to eat in any sizable amount.

Mercy. Children don't realize how merciful we are to them. 

I didn't let Benjamin go to the car show because I knew the temptations he would face there would be too strong for him and he would end up in disobedience. I also knew the show would be longer than his attention span and it wouldn't be as fun as he thought it would be. 

I didn't let the boys eat big bites of the hot pepper because I knew it was too spicy for them. Eating that pepper as they thought they wanted to would have rendered them to choking and tears. 

As I considered these events I wondered how much misery the Lord has spared me from because He is merciful. There are times when just like a 4 year old I pledge and promise away, but His answer is still "no" or "lets not do that yet." 

Someday Benjamin will be old enough to go to a car show and someday he'll be old enough to eat a hot pepper, but until then I'm not being mean to him by withholding these things from him. 

In fact, I'm being very loving, he doesn't understand the fullness of the situation to see how great my love for him is in these moments, but it's never the less for that reason I don't give him what he's asking for. 

Thank you Lord for loving me enough to say "no" when I'm not ready, and for making me wait when to go would lead only to my hurt. 

And thank you for loving me in this way even when I don't understand the situation enough to appreciate it.