I was declared “mean” just last week by my friend’s 6-year-old son. Yes, me. You heard it, MEAN!! Any guesses as to why? Do you suppose I smacked, slapped, punched, kicked, tripped or pinched him? Maybe I called him a name or told him he’s ugly or stupid. No, this verdict was reached in his young mind because – are you ready for this? - I would only allow him 2 cans of Juicy Juice, instead of the 10 he wanted. Yep – MEAN!!
The truth is, it is precisely because I care about this child that I would not give in to his demands. As an adult, I understand that 10 cans of juice are not good for him. That kind of excess will make him sick or rot his teeth or have any number of negative consequences. If I did not care about him, I wouldn’t care about his juice consumption. And, it wasn’t even a selfish motive of keeping him calm for the near future, as he was leaving with his dad immediately following this encounter. My life experience has taught me that 6-year-olds should not consume 10 cans of juice . . . period. His life experience has taught him that juice is good – and the more you can get your hands on, the better.
Can you imagine what kind of life experience God has in comparison to yours or mine? The One who stands outside of time – Who created time – knows what we do not. So often we stomp our feet and glare at God and declare, “God, You are soooo mean!” Why can’t I have this or that? My life experience tells me that what I want is good and when it comes to good – the more I can get my hands on, the better! Right?
The uncomfortable truth is that we have no idea what is good for us. Truly, when it comes to life and all it has to offer, we are all inexperienced, immature 6-year-olds. The only way to come to grips with life and not spend it pointing fingers at God in anger is to accept that He knows what He’s doing. And there are things out there that can sometimes make this extremely difficult to do. Terrible things happen. In our human minds it can seem unfathomable that God would allow some of the things He does.
But the fact remains – He is God. We are not. I want to live my life believing in His goodness, no matter what evidence shows up that I believe hints that He is not good. I will stubbornly insist that even the tragic events are opportunities in His hand to shape me into His likeness. That’s the only thing that really matters at the end of this long day we call life. The reward will far outweigh the suffering – and truth be told, in comparison to so many in this world, I don’t really know what suffering is anyway.
So, God, whenever I am tempted to say You are mean, remind me of the Juicy Juice. Remind me that You know what I don’t and are working everything out for my good. Because that’s what You are – You are very, very good!
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” -Isaiah 55:9-11
