Even When I Do the Wrong Thing?

One morning David and Sammy were playing with Legos together.  Usually David builds something and then lets Sammy play with it.  But that day Sammy smashed the Lego fire station that David had spent a long time building.  David was so mad that he hit Sammy and knocked him over. Sammy started crying hard and their mother came running.

 

“What happened David?” she asked.  Before David could answer Sammy cried out, “He hitted me and bonked me over!” 

 

“That’s because he broke my Lego fire station,” David protested. 

Mother saw that Sammy had a big bump on his head so she took him and hugged him and soothed him.  When she got him calmed down she came back to talk to David.

 

“David, you should not hit your brother.  You hurt him.  Even when he breaks you Legos you should not hurt him.  That is wrong.” 

 

“Sorry,” said David as he hung his head.  “Mommy, I just can’t not hit him. I try and try but I can’t.”

 

Mother sat down and pulled David into her lap.  “You are right, David. This is something you can’t do.  You need Jesus to do it with you.  You can’t do the right thing without Him.”

 

“Do you remember the story we read last night about the Lost Son*? He couldn’t do the right thing either.  He tried and tried but he just kept doing wrong things.  When he finally realized that he couldn’t make the right choices, he knew he needed to go home to his father.  Remember how his father ran out to meet him.  He was so happy to see him that he couldn’t stop kissing his son.  He took him back and made him a son so that he could do the right thing.  That is what you need to do, David.  You need to run to Jesus and know that he loves you so much that He can’t stop kissing you, even when you do wrong things like hitting your brother.  You need Jesus to give you the strength to make the right choice.  Jesus doesn’t want you to try this without Him.” 

 

David looked into his mother’s face and asked, “Jesus knows I can’t do the right things and He still loves me?”  His mother nodded while he pondered this. 

 

“Do you want to ask Jesus to give you love for Sammy even when he does the wrong thing?” his mother asked. 

 

“Uh, huh.”  And he bowed his head and prayed, “Jesus, give me love for Sammy even when he breaks my Lego fire station.” 

 

His mom added, “And thank You, Jesus, for loving David so much even when he hurts his brother. And thank you that you can’t stop kissing him.”  She started smothering him with kisses as he jumped down and ran to find Sammy.

 

 

“Sammy, I am sorry I hurt you.  Jesus is giving me love for you even when you break my Legos.”  The two boys hugged and off they went to play together.

 

* (Read in The Jesus Storybook Bible, page 272.)

Verna McCrillis, 11/16/2011