The Icky Stuff

"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake." -- 1 John 2:12 (NAS)

We are reading through 1 John in our family devotions. Each morning we read a chapter from the Bible then briefly talk about it before praying together. After reading the second chapter, Rick asked the kids, "What did you hear?"

Isabel launched into a lengthy description of icky stuff and Jesus scraping out the insides. It took a while, but I finally made the connection. "Yes, that's right! When Jesus forgives us He gets rid of all our icky sins."

It amazes me what these kids learn and remember! The "icky stuff" explanation came from a book I read to the kids weeks before. The evening's menu included acorn squash. As always, the kids helped me cook. While they scooped out the pulp and seeds from the centers of our squashes, I read My Happy Pumpkin (by Crystal Bowman), explaining that Jesus cleans us of all our sins, then puts His light inside us, just like a happy pumpkin. We hadn't talked about it again since then, but she remembered.

Last week, after a particularly difficult morning, she surprised me again. I cried as we drove home from her school. I was frustrated, embarrassed and simply at my wit's end. My thoughts were flooded with desperate prayers, not interested in the stream of conversation in the back seat. As I returned to the tangible present, I heard Isabel giving Zachary a theological exhortation. “…she’s crying because you were screaming. Do you know what that is, Zachary? That’s sin. Do you know what sin is? Sin is the bad things we do, like screaming or hitting. Sin hurts people, like you hurt Mommy. She’s sad and that’s why you can’t scream anymore. Right, Mommy?”

Moments like these humble and intimidate me. I am humbled to know God can use my sometimes flippant conversations to make such strong impressions on our children. I am intimidated for the same reason. Parenting is tough. It's nonstop and chased by guilt.

The verse above encourages children in preschool and children who are my age or older. Our sins are forgiven not for us, but for HIS name's sake; that HE maybe praised. He is the light shining through our happy pumpkins. The more goop He has to scoop, the more room there is for His glory.