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Just me, pondering:
Today, Kimmie called from school to ask if she could order a shirt sponsored by our volleyball team that has made it to State. (Woohoo!) She told me how she did not have enough money to pay for it right now, but the money would not be due until Tuesday, and she has a babysitting job lined up for Friday that should give her enough money, and could she PLEASE order the shirt today?
As much as I longed to say yes and hear her happy voice, I chose to tell her no, thinking ahead to future decisions that she will need to make. I kindly explained to her that it is not wise to order something, knowing that you do not have the money to cover it. Yes, a babysitting job is scheduled for the future, but there are many things that could happen between now and then. The job could be cancelled for any reason. You could get sick and be unable to babysit. It is not wise to use money that you have not yet earned. Kimmie hung up the phone, upset with me.
And I thought: In this situation, she probably could have ordered the shirt, and even if her babysitting job fell through, the shirt would have been paid for appropriately somehow. But I am training more for her future than for her present. She needs to learn wise actions now that will help her throughout her life. A shirt is not a bad gift. In fact, it is a good gift. But I know of a better gift: a debt-free, worry-free life.
I wished that Kimmie would realize that I am doing something nice for her, learn the lesson that I was trying to teach her and say, "Thank you for trying to do what is best for me, even if it is not what I originally wanted. Thank you for being willing to be 'the bad guy' in order to give me a better future. "
While I thought this through, Matthew 7:7-11 popped into my mind. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
My mind continued to wander down that thought path, and I pondered a request of my own that I have been asking God for several years now. I have been quoting "Ask and it will be given to you" to God in a "Well, what's the hold-up?" tone of voice, and He's been sitting quietly...
...wishing that I would realize that He is doing something nice for me, learn the lesson that He is trying to teach me and say, "Thank you for trying to do what is best for me, even if it is not what I originally wanted. Thank you for being willing to be 'the bad guy' in order to give me a better future."
Apparently, God is giving me a better gift than the one that I have been asking for, and I have been very ungrateful.
Today, Kimmie called from school to ask if she could order a shirt sponsored by our volleyball team that has made it to State. (Woohoo!) She told me how she did not have enough money to pay for it right now, but the money would not be due until Tuesday, and she has a babysitting job lined up for Friday that should give her enough money, and could she PLEASE order the shirt today?
As much as I longed to say yes and hear her happy voice, I chose to tell her no, thinking ahead to future decisions that she will need to make. I kindly explained to her that it is not wise to order something, knowing that you do not have the money to cover it. Yes, a babysitting job is scheduled for the future, but there are many things that could happen between now and then. The job could be cancelled for any reason. You could get sick and be unable to babysit. It is not wise to use money that you have not yet earned. Kimmie hung up the phone, upset with me.
And I thought: In this situation, she probably could have ordered the shirt, and even if her babysitting job fell through, the shirt would have been paid for appropriately somehow. But I am training more for her future than for her present. She needs to learn wise actions now that will help her throughout her life. A shirt is not a bad gift. In fact, it is a good gift. But I know of a better gift: a debt-free, worry-free life.
I wished that Kimmie would realize that I am doing something nice for her, learn the lesson that I was trying to teach her and say, "Thank you for trying to do what is best for me, even if it is not what I originally wanted. Thank you for being willing to be 'the bad guy' in order to give me a better future. "
While I thought this through, Matthew 7:7-11 popped into my mind. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
My mind continued to wander down that thought path, and I pondered a request of my own that I have been asking God for several years now. I have been quoting "Ask and it will be given to you" to God in a "Well, what's the hold-up?" tone of voice, and He's been sitting quietly...
...wishing that I would realize that He is doing something nice for me, learn the lesson that He is trying to teach me and say, "Thank you for trying to do what is best for me, even if it is not what I originally wanted. Thank you for being willing to be 'the bad guy' in order to give me a better future."
Apparently, God is giving me a better gift than the one that I have been asking for, and I have been very ungrateful.