A Fine Mess

Last week my 23 month old daughter Kate came to me and said, "Wa-wa. Mess." I didn't think anything of it because she's always playing in the bathroom sink splashing water all over the counter and herself. Little did I know that she'd taken things to a whole new level.

About an hour later I went to use my laptop, yes, that's right, my laptop, the precious laptop that Daddy does all of his writing on. An ominous pool of water seeped out from underneath. An empty glass lay on its side nearby. Though I'm no detective, I started to suspect I wouldn't like where this trail of clues was leading.

I picked up the computer, horrified to watch water pour out of its black casing. How could that glass possibly hold that much water? Surely she must have gone back for refills.

Wa-wa. Mess. Indeed.

I knew at that moment that my reaction was far more important than the laptop itself. So, I calmly walked into the other room, picked up the phone and had her shipped off to military school. I figure you're never too young to learn the value of push-ups. Okay, maybe not.

How could I get mad at her when I've been in her shoes so many times myself? How many times have I gone to God with my own "wa-wa/mess" situations? If only I could claim the naivete of a toddler as an excuse for so many poor choices in my life, so many times I've blown it.

And yet, God's reaction is what floors me.


God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he's rich in love.
He doesn't endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.

Psalm 103:8-13 - The Message


As a parent feels for their children, wow. I couldn't imagine getting angry at Kate for trashing a laptop. My relationship with her trumps anything I own. Could the same thing really be true with God? Could His relationship with me really trump everything else? Apparently so.

Good thing, too. I'm thinking God's military school would be rough. I'd much rather be His child than a private.