Devotionals

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Two weeks ago, my wife, daughter, and I went to the mall. No, we didn't go there to shop, for shopping with a 2 year old can be next to impossible. Our daughter, though, loves to run around the mall and to ride the carousel. When we arrive, she invariably bolts out of our arms and runs in the general direction of the carousel to ride the 'horsey'. If we try to go into a store, though, she balks. These days, she'll point to the store exit and say 'that way'.

When we were there two weeks ago, however, something different happened. Our daughter was tired that day, so my wife held her as we walked. All of sudden, she jerks in my wife's arms and points toward a store. 'Oh, no', I think to myself when I see the store she wants to enter. It was a candy store, a place where all sorts of sugary treats are sold. The candy comes in a variety of bright and attractive colors, seemingly designed to attract the young child. It succeeded with mine.

My daughter wound up perusing through a group of lollipops until she finally found one she liked. When she found the one she wanted, she promptly handed it to me with the silent, but understood, order to go buy it. I rolled my eyes, wondering how we managed to wind up in this predicament. The lollipop she found was enormous, a giant, sugar hippopatamus that, if eaten in full, would have my daughter bouncing off the walls about 2 hours before her scheduled bed time.

Still, she wanted it. I groaned inwardly, knowing that this piece of metabolic poison would be far more expensive than a supermarket lollipop, yet unwilling to say no to my child. The situation reminded me of this verse, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?" (Matthew 7:9) So, my wife and I purchased the lollipop. She carried it around for two minutes, then dropped it and didn't think of it again. $4.35 for two minutes of enjoyment. What's worse, we know that those sugary snacks are actually harmful for her. But, she wanted it so we got it.

As parents, my wife and I face requests from our daughter all the time. Half the time those requests are for things we know are not good for her. Do we say 'no' to her all the time, or do we grant her request sometimes? The answer, for us, is that we grant her request from time to time. If our daughter asks for bread, will we give her a stone (or nothing at all)? We all want things from time to time that others may know are not good for us, but granting unhealthy requests can show love to your child. To say 'no' all the time can be discouraging; soon, your child may not ask for anything at all. More, your child may not have the chance to learn why something is not good for her. Experience can be a far more powerful teacher than you ever could be. We just need to exercise some discretion and wisdom in knowing which requests to grant.

Similarly, God, our Father in heaven, grants requests of ours sometimes, even when He knows they are not good for us. Have you grown discouraged and unwilling to ask God for anything? Then think of the verse above and know that what follows is: "...how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?" (Matthew 7:11) Ask Him for those things that you desire deeply, the things you long for in those sleepless moments when your heart aches for loneliness. Ask Him to show Himself to you in a way that will leave no doubts about His goodness. Ask for the deepest desire of your heart. Don't be afraid, your Father gives good gifts to those who ask for them.

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