Lesson Learned

Then Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. So what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)

My heart sank as I read the note from my son’s teacher. I knew this would be one of those defining moments both in his life as a young child and my life as a parent. Just as he made his choices it was now my turn to make a choice. I could either choose to cover up my son’s sin or choose to allow him to suffer the consequences of his actions. I knew what I had to do.

Have you ever had one of those moments when your heart just sank to the floor as you discovered something disappointing or discouraging about someone else? In my case it was the first time in my experience as a mom that I felt someone had hauled off and sucker punched me. I was in disbelief. I immediately felt overwhelmed as I tried to calmly sort through the many emotions I was feeling: disappointment, sadness, anger, hurt, and the grand finale of my emotional rollercoaster rounded out with a big ole heaping side of GUILT.

Then the parental dialogue started running through my mind. How could he have done this? I didn’t raise him to act like this! This is NOT what we stand for in this family. Where did he learn this behavior from? Oh yeah, I went there.  I quickly realized that I needed to stop and pray, for the enemy was trying to use my thoughts against me.

So, after a few minutes of talking with my son I asked him to go to his room so I could ‘cool off.’ I knew I needed some time to pray and regroup. When I was ready we had a good talk, which continued over the next few days, as my son began to truly grasp the gravity of what he had done and the many consequences that would ensue as a result of his choices.

Luckily, this became a beautiful teachable moment for my son and for me as well. I felt the hand of God leading me each step of the way as I tried to lead my son’s heart to the foot of the cross, reminding him of who we are in Christ Jesus and how we are called to walk out our faith in a dark world.

The time came for him to face the music. My heart ached for him and my stomach was tied in knots until he came home and shared his experience with me. He took responsibility for his actions, asked for forgiveness through a bucket load of tears, and offered his personal sacrifice in an attempt to make it right. My heart soared as I heard of how he was forgiven, and in that moment my son grew one step closer to becoming a man of integrity.

As I look back and reflect on all that occurred I realize that this picture, of a little boy learning a very important lesson, isn’t just a picture of childhood growing pains but a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins and our relationship with Him. You see, we are all sinners. Isaiah 53:6 states that: "All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid upon Him the sins of us all" (NLT). 

You don’t have to be a child to live out this journey, just as my son did, of learning from your mistakes. We both could have ducked our heads and hid, allowing sin to control us and giving it room to grow, but instead we chose the painful path of freedom through redemption.

Jesus walked the path of redemption for us, except he was without sin. Through our belief in Christ he offers us the power of the cross daily. I am so thankful for this sacrifice and can appreciate the deep love of our heavenly Father even more as I walk through the many ups and downs of parenting. Being a mom is probably the best glimpse into the depths of God’s love for us. Imagine how much we are loved by God for Him to send His son to purchase our sin and nail it to the cross. He loves us more than we can imagine. As parents we want the best for our children, to grow closer to the heart of God and say no to the trappings of sin. Such is the heart of our heavenly Father for His children. 

So, the next time you are faced with the path of redemption, remember we don’t walk it alone. The power of the Holy Spirit living in us is our helper and we are reminded in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that: "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure" (NLT). 

God's gift of free will doesn't demand obedience, but the Holy Spirit in us pricks our heart in an attempt to guide us away from sin. It is up to us if we choose to listen. If we do, God will provide a way out.

Take that first step in the right direction. Take up your cross and remember the sacrifice given for your sin. Let it be a reminder to press on in your faith, press on and let God shape you into your full redemptive potential.

Every Blessing,
Melodie