The other night, my wife and I had one of those moments that every parent dreads. Our precious five year old son came to us and showed us a toy he had stolen at a local store while he was there with my wife. With sunken hearts we explained to him the need to bring it back, the necessary consequences of his actions and the need to change the way he thinks about stuff. We commended him for coming to us to get it straightened out. His eight year old sister who loves him intensely bawled because she was heartbroken that he did it. When we asked her why she was crying she told us that she knew that Jesse was much better than this.
Yesterday, my wife took my terrified son back to the store with the toy to speak with the manager. He told her what he had done and that he was sorry. She responded that he was a brave little boy and that she appreciated him coming back and trying to make it right. She took the small toy and told him that because he had done the right thing she would like him to have the toy as a gift.
Hopefully, Jesse has learned his lesson and this kind of thing will not be a problem for him in the future.
All of us make bad choices. When we do the Bible gives us a clear path to making things right. Sometimes, there are repercussions that are pretty bad but making things right is the best thing to do.
Rose’s reaction to her brother’s failure helps me to understand the heart of God better. How broken hearted is God over my evil? The Bible says that his love for me is greater than Rose’s is for her brother.
How great is God’s love for you!
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
– I John 3.1