Horseshoes and Hand Grenades: A Drama

Scene I
Sarah: Mindlessly mouthing off.
Other Person: Offended.
Sarah: Well, seriously!

Sarah huffs to herself about how easily people are offended, muttering phrases such as "Obviously it wasn't mean that way," "Why did he have to become so offended?" and, "Good grief! Is all this reaction really necessary?"

Sarah self-righteously inserts space between herself and offended Other Person.

Sarah become convicted about attitude.

Sarah pouts about having to apologize.

Scene II
Sarah: Half-way apologizes for responding in an irritated way to Other Person's being offended.
Other Person: Unfooled. Still offended.
Sarah: Well, seriously!

Scene III
Sarah grouches through an undocumented amount of time, discontented with the lack of resolution, but fighting the acknowledgement that what was said was offensive.

Conscience: Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Apologize all the way or not at all, but don't fool yourself that such a measly half-way, half-hearted offering was actually an attempt at making things right.
Sarah: Oh, I do wish you would hush! I don't need that right now. What I said was not meant the way he took it! If I apologize completely, he'll think it was, and if I apologize completely with the disclaimers and explanations, it won't sound or be sincere.
Conscience: I'm just saying...
Sarah: Fine! But I'm not sorry because I it wasn't my intention to offend, and how can I apologize for that?

Sarah sits on the floor of her room, arms crossed, fighting conscience. Finally, she gives in, only to discover that, even though she now wants to apologize, she really is not even sorry yet. Realizing that prayer is her only answer, she then begs the LORD to change her heart and emotions and give her His perspective on the situation.

Scene IV
Sarah: Appropriate, miraculously heart-felt apology.
Other Person: Forgiveness.

Resolution has come once again to the relationship, as the LORD shows that it is only He who can provide the desire and the way of peace among people. This small snippet reminds us of the larger truths: that it is only through the LORD that peace can be attained between us and Himself, and that a half-way, "sort-of" apology is useless. "Close" obedience doesn't work like horseshoes and hand grenades.

{The End}

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/43967421@N00/3014052413/in/photolist-5AkNLV-5Gob14-5X1a8z-61v9k4-6yuDmD-74jKzz-7dqMQN-7gVRKo-8AHEEh-7BgKzf-7MdMN3-er1LQi-er1Juc-er1EQT-er1YHz-erWXFh-er1BWp-erX4L3-er1Go6-erWZaY-er1SWn-er1HK6-er1TMB-er1Xm6-er1KiK-erX8EQ-er1BnB-erX7SG-erWUEb-erWWaY-erXcMs-erXbWh-er1Pfg-erX3aw-er1DeP-erX78W-erXdKW-erX9s3-er1Y64-er1B68-8MxcMV-8MxcCc-8MAifW-8Mxcmz-8AEAcv-8AHFrY-9wYSRA-9wVLZ8-c7hdYS-91HL1p-dZp6qC
Photo2 Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7828491@N04/2861725741/in/photolist-5mT6mZ

Watch-It Wednesday: Fading Flowers

If only we could always hold on to this perspective of who we are by ourselves, who we are in Christ, and how GREAT our Saviour is. This song gives me goosebumps every time...

Have a beautiful Wednesday, remembering Who our King is!

Watch-It Wednesday: Stethoscope

If every-day things, without mouths, had a song...

...which one would your heart hold?

A Birthday



Photo Credit

  "...Unless you die before-hand." Zach snickered a little at his smart-aleck remark.

For some reason, the Littles have decided I am of age, and it's time to start pressuring me to move out. Consequently, not a day goes by in which they don't ask, "Sarah, when are you gonna get married? We want to have a niece or nephew." I have no idea what has caused them to pursue this subject, the only reason I can hypothesize being that they get the giggles at my "I am not getting married right now!" Finally, tonight, riding home in the car, I looked them in the eye and explained that God has the right guy somewhere, and it is His timing, not ours, for which we should be ready. "When God says it's time for me to get married, I will," I assured them. But for all my seriousness, I got chuckles. "Yeah...Unless you die first!" Maddy and Zachary thought this quite funny (who can understand the humor of 6 and 7 year olds?), and in amused exasperation, I agreed, "Yep, unless I die first, but that means God didn't want me to get married anyway!"

I thought the conversation was over, and had begun to turn back to my book, when Megan - who was sitting next to me in the car - said in a confidential undertone, "Sarah, which one would you go to?"
"What do you mean, Meggy?"
"Which one would you go to - heaven or hell - if you died early?"

To say I was surprised at the question would be an understatement. Meg knew I was a Christian, so I had the feeling that there was more going on in that little brain than her words were letting on.

"I would go to heaven, Meg," I replied, leaning in closer, "and I hope you would go to heaven too."

We both knew that she wasn't a Christian. By her wide eyes looking up at me, I knew Meggy was seriously considering what she had heard. For a moment, her inward struggle was almost palpable. But she said nothing, and looked away, so I turned to my book until, ten minutes later, I felt her eyes on me again.

"Sarah," she said, barely above a whisper, "what is hell like?"
"I don't know much about it, Meggy...it's dark. And burning. And it hurts so much that people gnash their teeth."

"What do I have to do, if I want to go to heaven instead?"

Instantly, I felt overwhelmingly out of my depth. How could I presume to explain the gospel to Megan? How could I say it fully, in a way she could grasp? And yet, we are supposed to come as little children, and the Father who calls can speak through my bewildered words.

Carefully, I told her that God was so good, not even the tiniest bit of sin could be in His presence. That Jesus, knowing this, had taken the punishment of our sin for us. That to go to heaven, all we had to do was believe in Him, but that it also meant we let Him "be the boss" of our lives. And it all ended - or rather, began - there in the van, with us bowing our heads and Megan saying a prayer that was much rejoiced over in heaven and on earth.

My little sister became my sister indeed today. May our Father bless her with wisdom and an overpowering knowledge of His love towards her.

Happy Birthday, Meg.