An orange bullet

Earlier this week I was convinced my daughter had taken an ornery potion before breakfast: it was a day filled with objections, complaints, whining and even a full-blown public tantrum.

By late that afternoon, I was getting mighty tired of it. A one point I was on the phone and interrupted by (another) unnecessary and whiny complaint... This time for a snack. I offered her an orange but she complained about it. I put my hand over the receiver and said to her, "look, your choices here are that I can either pass you this orange or throw it at your head."

She took the orange. Not my proudest mommy moment.

And so it occurs to me that I, who love my kiddo so much, can barely handle ingratitude and sass for one day without wanting to withhold affection, nutrition and gentleness from her. How remarkable that God takes so much worse from us: disrespect, ingratitude, attitude, defiance, rejection... And more... For years and years, and from millions and millions of us... And yet he doesn't throw oranges at our heads.

"He himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:35

"He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matthew 5:45