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The Macaroni Lesson

It was a bedtime, but not yet dark outside, and my 6-year old daughter put on her sandals and went running into the yard. I peered through the window wondering what she could possibly being doing.

I saw her getting something out of the yeard. Now I remember. Earlier that day I had put a baking pan covered with colored macaroni out in the sun to dry. It was for a craft for Vacation Bible School which started the next morning. My daughter wanted to get it for me.

I was on the telephone so I did not try to assist her. I heard her opening the screen door and then a crash followed by her loud cries.

I went out to find her looking despairingly at the macaroni which was now spilled all over the front porch step. She cried to me in a desperate voice "Mom! I'm sorry! I was just trying to help! and now it will take us so long to clean this up -- it will be dark!"

I felt such compassion for her as I knew she was trying to do the kind deed to please me and then to see her cry in failure. There are other times when I ask her for help and she does it reluctantly or with grumbling. But not this time. She was excited to do this thing for me and failed.

All I felt was love for her and I helped her clean it up very quickly in fact and none of it was lost. She in her mind thought she had ruined the whole batch and felt so utterly hopeless. And even as I tried to tell her it was OK and showed her that it was not lost, it took her a while to believe it was going to alright.

I thought about myself then and of God. How sometimes I try to do things I think I ought to but with reluctance. And how at those time I'm sure I don't please the heart of the Father. But at other times, I desire so much to please him and to be victorious in some area only to fail and cry out to God feeling all is ruined. I've really blown it this time.

I think God must love me at that moment and know that my heart desires to please him, but in my weak state I fail. But He lovingly helps me pick up the pieces and assures me that everything will be alright.

It takes me awhile to forgive myself even though God forgives me the moment I ask. And then I remember the scripture:

"If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts and He knows all things."