Stacking Stones

I can only do so much to help my kids move along their path towards Christlikeness.

Sometimes you wonder what ~ if anything ~ sticks.

Today, I felt that in a way that humbled and encouraged me.

My son had (in the grand scheme of things) a minor infraction at school.  However, it’s one that has happened before and we had previously discussed what his consequences would be if it happened again. I immediately told him what he needed to do and what was going to happen.

He was unhappy.

I mean really distraught.

You know how you can tell when someone is in true despair and when they’re just mad that they got caught?  Well he was in true despair, disappointment and frustration with himself.

He had a good outpouring of emotions and then when I asked him to explain to me what he was thinking about right then, he said, “Well, I feel like the consequences are too much for what I did and Mommy,  you know how God gave Jonah a second chance? Well, I would just really like it if you gave me a second chance.”

In that moment I thought about how the previous consequences had not produced different behavior. I thought about how if I let up this time would I just be “letting him get away with it?” But then I also thought about what mercy is and how sometimes when you don’t get what you deserve your behavior changes out of love and gratefulness.

I really want my son to experience that.

I want him to know what mercy feels like.

I want him to want to extend mercy to someone in his life because he has been given it himself.

I want this to be a stepping stone to truly understanding grace; the amazing experience of getting what you don’t deserve.

The tone of our whole evening was changed and instead of doling out discipline we have been able to reflect together as a family about giving and getting mercy.

Only God knows how this will ultimately play out. Whether this lesson will stick or not. I pray that it will.

…And this time I’m mostly talking about myself.

“Let mercy lead
Let love be the strength in your legs
And in every footprint that you leave
There’ll be a drop of grace
If we can reach
Beyond the wisdom of this age
Into the foolishness of God
That foolishness will save
Those who believe
Although their foolish hearts may break
They will find peace
And I’ll meet you in that place
Where mercy leads”  ~ Rich Mullins