Clean Up
Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine of nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:35
While I was praying for a friend one of our students came to my mind. In any study of child development one is taught that a child is never bad. His actions may be bad but the child himself is not inherently bad. To those who penned that teaching I would say, “You’ve never met Stevie.” But that would be facetious because while the better part of Stevie’s behavior is beyond bad and straight into deplorable, Stevie is not bad. He is a product of other people’s bad choices. Stevie came into the world with more than three strikes against him. When I am praying for him, when he is finished terrorizing the people around him and has given himself over to tears and when he is sleeping or sitting quietly I can easily remember that his behaviors are not his fault and for that I thank God. That knowledge, that merciful view of Stevie gets me through the moments when he is literally kicking and screaming. I am able to feel at least a smidgen of compassion even as he is hitting and spitting because I know he did not choose the circumstances with which he has to deal. The firestorm in his brain is not of his own making. As bad (sorry, it’s the best word to use) as he is, Stevie has brought grace into my life.
Thinking of him this morning I also learned a little lesson, or maybe remembered is a better word. Among the contents in his bag of heinous behaviors is the lovely penchant for throwing things, big things, small things, containers full of things, all are fair game when the madness starts. Nothing on a table, shelf or counter is safe. In fact the tables and bookshelves are fair game as well. Once the fury wears down and Stevie is slightly more controllable we instruct him to clean up his mess. For the first few minutes Stevie works alone but after we have seen an effort most often one of us goes along side of him and either physically helps or at least offers encouragement.
That made me think of how God handles us. We make our mess and for awhile God watches while we attempt to clean it up. He gives us the tools and nudges us in the right direction but the cleanup detail is ours, for a time. Then suddenly there’s a shift. The load seems lighter. The work seems easier and we realize Dad is doing the heavy lifting. That is where my whole train of thought started and obviously went off the tracks.
I was praying for my friend to feel the presence of God, to know that if not today eventually He will do the heavy lifting. I’m sure at this moment she not only feels buried underneath her mess but alone under there as well. My heart goes out to her. Again, Stevie comes to mind. If I had to deal with his idiosyncrasies by myself I would be absolutely overwhelmed. I don’t. Not only are there three of us in the classroom but by God’s provision each of us carries His grace into the situation. Dad is right in there with us and that brings great comfort. I want my friend to feel the loving hand of God but more than that I want all of us to be aware that no situation, no person, no problem is ever greater than the love of God.
The verse I chose comes from Romans 8 where we are also told that if God is for us no one can be against (verse 31). We are told that all things will work for our good if we love and trust God. (verse 28) and right beneath the verse I chose in verse 37 we are told that we are more than conquerors. Stevie will make me question that, the conqueror part more than once today. In light of his needs I often feel completely inadequate. I am, but that’s okay. Dad will show up and help me. He will show up and help my friend and if you invite Him, He will show up and help you.
While I was praying for a friend one of our students came to my mind. In any study of child development one is taught that a child is never bad. His actions may be bad but the child himself is not inherently bad. To those who penned that teaching I would say, “You’ve never met Stevie.” But that would be facetious because while the better part of Stevie’s behavior is beyond bad and straight into deplorable, Stevie is not bad. He is a product of other people’s bad choices. Stevie came into the world with more than three strikes against him. When I am praying for him, when he is finished terrorizing the people around him and has given himself over to tears and when he is sleeping or sitting quietly I can easily remember that his behaviors are not his fault and for that I thank God. That knowledge, that merciful view of Stevie gets me through the moments when he is literally kicking and screaming. I am able to feel at least a smidgen of compassion even as he is hitting and spitting because I know he did not choose the circumstances with which he has to deal. The firestorm in his brain is not of his own making. As bad (sorry, it’s the best word to use) as he is, Stevie has brought grace into my life.
Thinking of him this morning I also learned a little lesson, or maybe remembered is a better word. Among the contents in his bag of heinous behaviors is the lovely penchant for throwing things, big things, small things, containers full of things, all are fair game when the madness starts. Nothing on a table, shelf or counter is safe. In fact the tables and bookshelves are fair game as well. Once the fury wears down and Stevie is slightly more controllable we instruct him to clean up his mess. For the first few minutes Stevie works alone but after we have seen an effort most often one of us goes along side of him and either physically helps or at least offers encouragement.
That made me think of how God handles us. We make our mess and for awhile God watches while we attempt to clean it up. He gives us the tools and nudges us in the right direction but the cleanup detail is ours, for a time. Then suddenly there’s a shift. The load seems lighter. The work seems easier and we realize Dad is doing the heavy lifting. That is where my whole train of thought started and obviously went off the tracks.
I was praying for my friend to feel the presence of God, to know that if not today eventually He will do the heavy lifting. I’m sure at this moment she not only feels buried underneath her mess but alone under there as well. My heart goes out to her. Again, Stevie comes to mind. If I had to deal with his idiosyncrasies by myself I would be absolutely overwhelmed. I don’t. Not only are there three of us in the classroom but by God’s provision each of us carries His grace into the situation. Dad is right in there with us and that brings great comfort. I want my friend to feel the loving hand of God but more than that I want all of us to be aware that no situation, no person, no problem is ever greater than the love of God.
The verse I chose comes from Romans 8 where we are also told that if God is for us no one can be against (verse 31). We are told that all things will work for our good if we love and trust God. (verse 28) and right beneath the verse I chose in verse 37 we are told that we are more than conquerors. Stevie will make me question that, the conqueror part more than once today. In light of his needs I often feel completely inadequate. I am, but that’s okay. Dad will show up and help me. He will show up and help my friend and if you invite Him, He will show up and help you.
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