Brats

During the summer quarter at church, I've been helping my friend Jeni in the 5 year-olds class on Wednesday nights. Most weeks the children are fairly well-behaved, although there are a couple of hyperactive ones in the mix. Tonight, however, was by far our worst week of the summer. (Thank goodness next week is our last week!)

We asked them to sit still in their chairs. They didn't. We asked them to be quiet. They wouldn't. We told them that they wouldn't get their snack until all of them were seated quietly. That seemed to get their attention, although it was several minutes before all of them were quiet and settled. By the end of class, Jeni and I were ready to pull our hair out. It's a good thing that the children were all picked up on time, as baldness is not a particularly attractive look on a female.

As I drove home tonight, I thanked God for helping us survive the hour of lunacy and offered up special thanks for the end of the quarter being in sight. I began to think about how patient, loving and forgiving God is when we act like hyperactive spoiled brats. Sometimes when He's trying to teach us a lesson, instead of us sitting still and listening attentively, we run around and talk with everyone else around us and shut Him out. Even when we know that He wants to give us blessings if we would only wait on Him, we go right ahead doing our own thing and passing up what He has planned for us.

I have to admit that there are a couple of children in our class that, given their track record, I would be happy if they did not show up next week. But no matter how obnoxious and bratty I've behaved, God is not disappointed when I come to Him. He welcomes me and mercifully extends forgiveness when I humbly come before Him. How awesome is His love!