This week Bethel was tussling with David over his helium balloon and popped it. Time stopped. David wailed.

I was fascinated to watch Bethel’s response. At first, she didn’t do anything. I’ve found that sometimes kids don’t know what to say when something bad happens, so I started giving her words to say.

• Tell David you’re sorry [she didn't intend to pop the balloon, and it was unclear whether they were playing or not].
• Tell David you are sad that his balloon popped [expressing remorse is a good part of making things right].

On her own accord, she offered her own helium balloon. David refused it [ perhaps understandably-- it was a heart balloon] and continued to cry. Unable to do anything to make it better, Bethel started to cry. She was genuinely grieved that there was nothing she could do. She asked if I could fix it, and I had to tell her the balloon was beyond repair.

As David started to calm down, I realized that the helplessness that Bethel and David both felt– a wrong with no way to make it right– was exactly the helplessness that we have to save ourselves. So we talked about that.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23

It’s not exactly the same, and maybe I was ruining the point of this verse. But I tried to explain that just like Bethel fell short of being able to make it right with David, we fall short when we attempt to make things right with God on our own. The only way we can make things right is through Jesus Christ. Not sure how much they understood. They didn’t say anything. In retrospect, I suppose I could have asked some good leading questions or something!

Sometimes I don’t do very well remembering to bring my children back to the gospel. I was delighted that God gave me an opportunity, and helped me to seize it. I need to pray specifically that God would give more situations that will help make the gospel clear to my children.

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Tags: restitution
Filed under: Salvation