Bilingual Lessons in a Bathroom
posted by Erin Davis on 06/23/11 | Twitter: @ErinGraffiti
Category: Faith; ; 16 comments
Our readers love to talk about God's truth. Several months ago, we offered the chance for LYWB.com readers to submit posts for our blog. The response was overwhelming. You'll be able to catch the writing of these one-time guest bloggers in the coming months. These are readers just like you who are striving to live out God's truth. Since these are guest bloggers, their style or approach may be a little different than you're used to, but we've read every word and we think they've got something important to say. In fact, check this great post by April Garretson.
"But Mom, I'm scared Dad is going to hurt me!"
My four-year-old son's face was in a panic, and his eyes told me these were not Jeremiah's occasional alligator tears. He was afraid.
Earlier that day we went on one of the most beautiful autumn hikes. Two miles along a creek, over stone walls, and through narrow boulder passages the path led straight to a rushing white waterfall. It was there, at our long-awaited destination, that my husband and I found the splinter in our son's finger. "Can we wait to get it out until we are home?" Jeremiah asked. Given our limited amount of daylight, just a small pair of tweezers on my husband's Swiss Army knife, and still a two-mile hike back to the car, we agreed.
Later that night, the tears exploded! The repeating chant was, "I am scared that Dad will hurt me!" Those words stung, and my husband's heart ached. How were we going to get this visibly huge splinter out of that little finger if he believed that? As I took Jeremiah into the bathroom to help him gain his composure, we talked. Knowing what a wonderful man I married and the answer, I asked Jeremiah, "Would Dad ever do anything to hurt you?"
"No, Momma," he sniffed.
So I leaned in and asked, "Then, why are you scared?"
"Dad will hurt me when he gets the splinter out" was his retort.
"But Jeremiah, you know that Dad would never do anything to purposely hurt you, he loves you." As I dried tears, wiped a nose, and held his hand, I shared with Jeremiah exactly what I had spent all summer teaching young girls in our LYWB Summer Bible study. With full confidence I asked, "Jeremiah, do you agree with me that Daddy would never do anything to hurt you?" I received a whole-hearted nod. On to the next question. "Then if you say Daddy would hurt you, that is a lie, right?" And this time I got a double nod. Finally I asked, "Do you know where lies come from?"
With a little light bulb going off, Jeremiah answered. "That old serpent?!"
"Yes! Satan tries to tell us lies, so we will not listen to the truth. The truth is Daddy would never hurt you!" Now I had tears in my eyes. With that Jeremiah swung opened the door, balled fists on his hips, and yelled, "That old serpent isn't gonna get me! Ohhh Daaadddd, I'mmmm ready!" Mere seconds later, the splinter was gone.
While leading the LYWB Bible study, I realized that I had not yet fully accepted a very basic principal in my own Christian walk ... Satan is not bilingual! Only God speaks truth to us. Anything else is simply a lie from the Liar. The difference between knowing that and believing it is what allows us to swing open the door and embrace God's richest blessings and unlimited abundance in our lives.
About the Author: Writing for His glory is what excites April Garretson. She is currently enrolled in the Liberty University Home Bible Institute and a graduate of Carol Kent's Speak Up with Confidence Seminar. Wednesdays find her at church with middle and high school girls chatting about biblical characters and real life situations. Her husband and son would encourage you to read more about how she loves to go barefoot at Barefoot Offering.
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