We spent the past 2 days building an outdoor coop and run for our flock of 30 chickens. We have a large assortment of the fowl; a little black one we call Slipper-foot because she has fuzzy feathers all over her feet. A plain brown hen which Aaliyah christened Susan. A big, proud, black and white rooster, Andrew’s favorite. Probably a dozen different breeds of chickens we have. The hens faithfully keep us well supplied with eggs.
The time comes to move all the chickens from the barn into their new abode. It seems to be taking a while, so I investigate. The kids are just coming out of the barn with a large trash can on the wagon, all 30 chickens stuffed in that bin.
“Get them out of there, they’re gonna die!” I shout to the kids.
Andrew is flustered and frustrated. “They won’t die, mom.” He shouts back.
Just the same, I follow along to watch the chickens adjust to their new coop.
He dumps the trash can over. The ones on the top shout and cluck and jump up. A sickening number of them don’t move. Thirteen of them are dead.
My heart sickens, sinking to the floor. I have never felt such incredulous disappointment before.
I walk off, unable to speak. Too angry to speak. Did I cry? Yeah, I did. I love all our farm animals. I’m having a hard time reconciling the fact that he actually did that. That he was too lazy to make multiple trips to and from the barn. That he was mad it took so long to corral the birds and didn’t care if they were stuffed in a bin.
The rest of the evening, my thoughts war within me.
“Show him the Father” is the prevailing thought. “Show him how I forgive; how I love” whispers my Father.
I failed this one. I wasn’t quick to extend grace and forgiveness. I wanted my son to feel my anger and disappointment for a while. I wanted him to realize how enormously he’d grieved me. I wanted him to be ashamed and beg forgiveness. I withheld love and acceptance because I wanted him to know he was the one responsible, he was the one who had broken trust.
This is not Jesus.
Our Heavenly Father loves with abandon. Regardless of the wrong. He is full of mercy and grace.
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep…How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:5-7
He can’t wait for us to come running to Him because He longs to extend grace and acceptance. He delights to show us the wide-open, arms spread, eyes laughing kind of love.
This is how our Father loves.
This is forgiveness.
I am required to do no less. I must lead my children to the Father. They will see His love, by how I love them and others. They will recognize full forgiveness, because I have forgiven them with reckless abandon. Withholding nothing and extending my arms in complete acceptance of who they are.
This is the Father’s forgiveness.
May I exemplify His love accurately. May my children come to know the Father through me.
Because son, your heart is more important to me than 13 chickens.