For who has despised the day of small things? Zechariah 4:10 NKJV
Picture this modern-day parable: I’m a mom, and my daughter comes up to me one day and asks me for a gift. Well, I think I’m a pretty cool mom who knows how to bless my girls (just like our Heavenly Father!) so OF COURSE I’m going to give her not one, but several gifts.
1. I see there is one Girl Scout cookie left, and even though I could eat it without a second thought, I think to myself, “I know my girl would love to have that cookie!” So I choose to leave it for her. You may think that’s not a cool gift, but for anyone who mourns the end of the cookies, you know it takes a lot of generosity to share!
2. And then I put a tender, loving note on her bed telling her how valuable she is to me, and how much of a privilege it is for me to be her mom and I even take the time to make it “Pinterest-mom” worthy, because she’s my girl and she’s worth it (even though everyone knows that’s not my forte!).
3. And my daughter HATES doing the dishes, but it is her daily chore AND that is her house contribution that affords her a cell phone. Well, I see the stack of dishes is especially large and dirty today (I’ve been cooking A LOT!) and I decide, just this once, to do her dishes for her. Now, if that’s not a gift from a mom, I don’t know what is!
So just a few minutes before she gets home I’m just tickled, so excited to watch my girl find all the little gifts I’ve prepared for her; not for mom-applause, but just because I can’t wait to see her smile and see that I’ve answered her request. She walks in the door, eyes wide in anticipation because she knows I’ve promised a gift to her today. So she begins to walk around the house, searching for the gift…she takes the Girl Scout cookie off the plate that was set out for her, and charges past the empty sink and the counter full of clean dishes without a second thought. She runs to her bedroom and knocks the handmade mom-note off as she lifts the covers off to see if I’ve hidden this amazing gift she’s built up in her mind.
Finally, exasperated, she comes to me frustrated, asking me why I failed to make good on my promise. “Where’s the Nintendo Switch?” she asks. I am a little perplexed. “You told me you were going to get me a gift and you KNOW that’s what I want most in the whole world; why did you lie to me?”
Oooooh, now I see. You didn’t want a gift…you wanted exactly what you wanted, how you wanted it, and in your terms. I didn’t even know the only gift worthy of you is that which you asked for. As a still-wrapped-in-flesh mom, I can’t help but think of my “gifts” were trash to you, and in fact, you didn’t even recognize them. I simply say, “I’m sorry the gifts I prepared for you weren’t what you asked for” and then walk away. (Even though what I REALLY want to do is go rip up that note, and re-dirty every dish I just washed, and if I could get back that Girl Scout cookie…don’t even pretend that you’re holier than I am!!)