A Lesson Dropped In My Lap and Blessed From Above

Tonight the children and I ended an absolutely EXHAUSTING day early with our nightly venture through the ABC's of Advent Book we've been reading. I began this evening by apologizing for a nasty argument their father and I had engaged in earlier and hoping, though not very expectantly, that SOMETHING good could be salvaged of our day. Mostly, though, I was just going through the motions, more disappointed than spiritual for the first time since starting this book a week ago.

But as I repented for my behavior earlier in the day, I did pray silently, sleepily, that God would given them something of value for this day to hold onto.

The topic for tonight's Advent lesson was "Earth." It explained so beautifully how God left the perfection and splendor of the Glory of Heaven to come to a flesh-filled world to redeem us. As I spoke of the great Love required to make such a sacrifice, I asked the children if they thought they could do something so selfless for another.

"Yes." They all replied. "If it helped another person get saved."

I appreciated the sweet intentions in their answers, but I wanted them to REALLY GET what a big deal God's manhood was.

"Do you all remember when that missionary came one time and told us about the Mexican trash dump village where hundreds of little children live and spend their days hunting for food within the piles of garbage brought there and the stink?"

They all nodded, obviously interested in how this would all connect.

"Do you remember how we've talked about how the Bible says that NO MATTER WHAT wonderful awesome things you can imagine about how great Heaven is going to be, it's REALLY going to be a hundred million times better than EVEN THAT?!"

"Yes."

"Well, think of our home, then, as Heaven. And the trash dump village as Earth. Because that's about how different Heaven is going to be from our Earth. That's how big of a difference there is. SO, do you think that you would be willing to go live in that trash dump so that those kids could live here, in our home?"

"No." My oldest son wished he could honestly say otherwise.

"Yes, I would!" my daughter enthusiastically spoke up. "Me too!" said my youngest. "It would be cool if they could have a great life because of something that I could do for them."

I admired their compassion. But I took it a step further.

"Would you do it for your worst enemy? The one who always makes fun of you and leaves you out on the playground and talks about you behind your back? Because the Bible says that Christ did all this for us WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS. Would you let somebody mean like that have your bedroom, while you eat days old scraps and live with the rats?"

"No!" my son laughed. "THAT would just be too hard." But my sweet angel girl, with all the good intentions one heart can hold insisted, "I would. I really would. But only if it made them be able to go to Heaven, like the reason Jesus did it."

"Yeah, me too." My son changed his mind.

"O.K." I said. "I want you both to get dressed very warmly and go outside onto the back patio and see if you can sleep there tonight, just so you can TRULY understand and actually FEEL what Jesus went through for us to be able to go to Heaven."

They were giddy. This meant they would be up past bedtime. And besides, it was just too fun to try.

"Can we take out our tents and stuffed animals?" my son asked.

"Nope. The kids in the trash dumps don't have that stuff unless they find it. You are welcome to use anything you can find in the back yard though. Whatever you have to do to stay warm or feel comfortable."

"Can we take a blanket?" asked my daughter.

"You can use the dogs'. It's a used one just like they find in the trash dumps."

Their excitement tapered off just a bit, but still they bounded out enthusiastically.

My oldest son stayed inside with me while we began to plan his upcoming Bowl Game Birthday Bash. From inside, we could hear laughter and games for about the first ten minutes. We heard them play with our dogs as they agreed that trash dumps would have stray animals lurking around. But very quickly thereafter, it got seriously quiet. So we giggled and waited. About 6 minutes later, the door finally opened, but then it shut just as suddenly.

Another four minutes passed when two exhausted and nearly frozen little future missionaries scurried back inside. "It's FREEZING out there!" my daughter declared as though we should be utterly shocked. "We're just going to warm up for a second, then we'll go back out."

"But Faith," I said. "Jesus didn't just return to Heaven for a break whenever things got really tough. And he didn't just stay on the Earth for a night. He did it for 33 years! You have the kindest heart of just about anyone I know, but would you REALLY be willing to trade lives with those children, to live away from Daddy and I and your friends and your grandparents in that trash dump? Or would you agree that what Jesus did was FAR TOO REMARKABLE for us to ever come close to loving as good as He does?"

"Well, I DO want those kids to get saved and get to hear about Jesus like us, Momma. But Jesus DID do a miracle that we could never do. When I think about that, I can't see how ANYBODY could love somebody that much."

"But He did, Sweetie." I told her. "He loves you."

"Yeah. That should warm me up pretty quick!"

And so does the way God can turn a day around. He sure did mine.