“Mom!” my oldest son screamed, “He missed the potty! There is poop all over your bathroom!” In a panic my three year old came running out my bathroom, through my carpeted bedroom, down the hallway and into the kitchen trying to plead his case. He was naked with his legs and feet covered in poop. Everywhere he had run was covered in his mess. I wish I could say I remained calm but I didn’t. I was incredibly mad. I was mad at my oldest son for sending him into a panic and more than anything I was mad that he ran from his mess.
My five year old once broke a ceramic giraffe stool that was in our play room. I only was able to reach that conclusion after finding the giraffe with its missing ear and questioning all three of my sons as to where the ear was. My five year old then proceeded to walk out of the room and over to our piano bench where the giraffe’s ear had been mysteriously placed. I was not bothered that he broke the giraffe. I was bothered by what he did afterwards. He said nothing and hid what he had done as best as he knew how.
There was a time when I walked into my bathroom to find hair trimmings all over the floor. When I asked my oldest son if he had tried to cut his own hair he said he did not. I took him to the bathroom and asked him to explain the hair on the floor. He then reluctantly admitted the truth. His attempt at cutting his own hair was not bad. His choice to lie when he was asked about his attempt was.
We all have accidents and we all make mistakes. It is in our nature to run, to plead our case, to keep quiet, to lie and to hide our mistakes after they occur. It is always so much better to instead stop in our tracks, admit our mistake and ask for the help we need to clean up our mess. God uses my children to remind me of these truths everyday. Accidents happen. It is what we do after they happen that matters most.
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.- Psalm 34:17
