Edify

This momma’s little one was so upset.

Someone was not getting what was desperately desired.

I could hear her choosing not to console, reprimand, nor discipline this erupted behavior.  This was not the time she took for that.  What I heard was the time she took to edify.

Instructing is one thing, and such an important thing, but to overhear her spiritually-inform was such a beautiful thing.

It’s a God thing.

God gives us instructions.  And, there was a time He had to remind His people that they had experiences that their children had not had.  Their children hadn’t experienced His greatness, His strong hand, nor His powerful arm.  Their children hadn’t seen how the Lord cared for them.   The children hadn’t seen what He did.

But they had!

“So be careful,”  God says.  You’ll have to teach these things to your children.   You’ll have to talk about them when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

And, yet not specifically stated, I’m pretty sure…when they’re whining.

It was a valuable moment to have heard her verbally process this ego-centric emotion that many a 5-year-olds can have.  In the child’s intensity, she began to explain God’s goodness, God’s provision,  God’s faithfulness.

“Hasn’t God done this for you?”   She went on to explain what He’s done.

“Hasn’t God provided you with this?”   She gave examples of what He’s provided.

“So, can’t we trust that He will meet all our needs?” she confirmed.

Not always, but this time the whining stopped.

There I sat with my own internal whining.

She had me thinking of what God HAS done.

She had me thinking what God HAS provided.

“He is your God, the one who is worthy of your praise, the one who has done mighty miracles that you yourself have seen.”

Tell your children.

Mine told me.

Deuteronomy 11