Day 11 of the “Wild Kids, Wild God-Looking into God’s Heart” series. This post is Part 2 of the same titled article. You can read Part 1 here.
For my husband’s 40th Birthday we decided to go out for dinner. As you can imagine, going anywhere with four children is a challenge an adventure. Restaurants should be large enough for the little ones to get rowdy without really disturbing others. And play corners are critical: we don’t make calls about reservations, we call about play corner set-ups.
All the kids were excited to go and we hoped for the best.
The restaurant was huge and homely. Book shelves lined the walls and lamps hung over tables. We sat in the back corner, away from others with good space for our kids and gear (e.g prem, buggy, etc..).
The kitchen was open and a young man was kneading dough near us. I took my girls to watch, what a treat! There was a small ledge in front and he placed a lump of dough on it for my girls to play with.
They were thrilled and so was I, but I was also hesitant: Do we have to pay for this? Oh no, they’re making a big mess… Let me get chairs for them to stand on…We must be making a scene….
I asked the waiter if I should order these little “pizzas” my girls were making. After conferring with the manager I was told the dough–all pressed and played with– would be too tough for good pizza, so bottom line: Keep playing, No charge. Wow! What a different experience with a manager… I was stunned and so grateful. The floor was full of flour and farina, but they only cared about us.
My heart was overwhelmed. That young guy kept encouraging my kids, smiling and giving them fresh dough. I looked at the mess and kept apologizing, but he, with shining face, kept saying “Don’t worry.”
I could hear Heaven speaking–Don’t stress out, Mama. God is making a Guest Appearance…
When we see Love, we see God… (1 John 4:12).
I wanted to bless this angel for the kindness he showed our family. [God Glimpse 1–When someone blesses our kids, they bless us.] My many words of thanks weren’t enough, and I couldn’t put a monetary value on how my heart felt. [God Glimpse 2–Acts of kindness call out for exponentially greater blessing because they touch so deeply.]
I had a thumb-nail sized pendant in my scarf with a drawing of sheep walking behind a shepherd. It was very dear to me, a visual reminder of the hope I’m trying hard to hold on to, but I sensed I should give it to him. In case he wouldn’t appreciate it (remember my son’s drawing..?), I reasoned to ask if he was a Christian first.
When everyone was ready to go, I went to him, “You showed so much kindness to my kids and my family–I can’t thank you enough. And… uh….are you a Christian?” He looked a bit uncomfortable, like he was about to give away a secret, and then said yes. I put the pin in his hand and thanked him one last time. He took a look and I thought he might cry.
God said: As much as you did for/to/against the least of these you did for/to/against Me. (Matthew 25:40). And specific things were mentioned, like feeding someone hungry, visiting someone sick, clothing someone who is cold… As a mom I now understand this. I hurt when my kids hurt, I’m blessed when they are blessed. If, God Forbid, my kids were ever without me and in need, don’t you think I’d be going crazy for someone to help them..?! How about you?
What they experience, good or bad, I experience even more intensely.
But I imagine it’s worse for God, not just because we are His Very Own Poetry, but because of what Jesus said in the famous ‘Sermon on the Mount’: apparently thinking something is like doing it, so while we are spared people’s bad thoughts, God isn’t.
Yikes! Can you imagine the Day of Reckoning coming for all the Open and Hidden Mean in this world?! Scary!
So maybe Joan Osborne was right when she sang, “what if God was one of us…?”
May we all remember to treat eachother kindly, just as we ourselves want to be treated. This Royal Law shines all over the Bible, but it’s sadly so easily missed. Keep your eyes open and your hearts warm, we are all Divine Offspring.
Want to read more about kindness in this entitlement-prone world? Check “Cinderella…Humility, Entitlement & Kindness.” Want to know more about God’s Love and Justice..? Check: “Wildly Loved but Love Burns Hot.”
This post is part of a #Write31Days Series hosted here. Find many beautiful and diverse series there. You can read the rest of this series posts, “Wild Kids, Wild God- 31 Days Looking into God’s Heart” here.
photo credit: Dough, William Meppem
I loved this story Jasmine! So glad you shared. More than just a nice feel good story, you did such a great job of tying in the child/parent aspect. What you wrote is so true: when someone rejects our children, even thoughtlessly, it is a rejection of us. When they appreciate them, or bless them it ,it’s felt by us more intensely. And your aligning with Matthew 25 is right on. For the last three years The Spirit will not let me forget Christ’s warning in Matthew 25. It has kinda change my life, because I look at everyone different now. And good for you for following the Spirit’s leading to give that young man that gift!
Cheers,
Leah