Missed Opportunities

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33

I am blessed to have two grandchildren attending the school where I work, my granddaughter, Faith, who is in Kindergarten and her cousin Joey, who is in Second grade. Yesterday I brought them both a brownie with a note of love from me. On the first day of school I did the same thing with cookies that were joyfully accepted and appreciated by both of them.

Yesterday Faith was thrilled to receive her treat but Joey’s reaction wasn’t nearly as positive. When I approached him I was greeted by a look I have never seen on his face before. He looked as if he didn’t know me and further, didn’t want to. I was shocked and disappointed. This is a child who has run to me every time I’ve arrived on the scene since he was old enough to run. This is a child who has begged me to let him live at my house. We’ve spent the better part of his life together. Suddenly I was persona non grata. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling but as it turned out, it was my own fault. Little did I know that a couple of games of pee wee football make a boy a BMOC, top of the heap, Joe Cool, big shot. Here’s the picture, when I approached Joey he was in the breakfast line with some boys from his football league, a few of whom were older boys. Having a grammy in those circumstances is apparently not cool! All that behavior cost Joey was the brownie which I gave to his younger cousin Madelyn, who happened to be having breakfast with her sister, and later in the day a bit of sarcasm from me.

As I walked away from Joey and his snotty response the Scripture above came full blown into my thoughts. Ouch! Yes, Joey had rejected me and yes it stung. This is after all my Buggy! This is a kid who I have literally stepped on because he was so close on my heels. Of course I was a bit hurt but that cannot begin to compare with the grief I have caused to my Father’s heart when on occasion I have acted as if I didn’t know Him or minimized our relationship to avoid controversy or appear more worldly.

Thanks be to God that hasn’t happened in a long time but I know I have done it. I wonder if a test is on my horizon, a time when choosing to stand on my belief and embrace my Lord will cost me; if someone will think less of me or choose not to befriend me because Jesus is my dearest friend. At least the little incident has given me a head's up. I will pray to stand firm in my faith, no matter what.

Certainly I will not turn away from Joey. I gave his treat to Madelyn and I gave him a hard time later, done and done. He’s my firstborn grandchild and a huge part of my life. My love for him was not diminished at all by that interaction. It did however give me a view of us I have never had before and for Joey there was a cost. When I make the comparison I see again, quite clearly, that my hurt was minimal when compared to the ways in which I have grieved the heart of my Father. I also see that Joey lost out a bit and that makes me wonder what I’ve missed. I haven’t denied God in a way that will cost me my salvation but what small miracle, what gift of grace did I miss by slighting my Father? I hate to think about it. This experience does remind me to be grateful in the extreme for the forgiveness and love that flow from the throne of grace.

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