BY JACK WARD
PASTOR, TOMAHAWK MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
It seems that one day a kindergarten teacher was helping one of her students put on his cowboy boots. He asked for help, and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn’t want to go on. Finally, when the second boot was on. She had worked up a sweat. She almost cried when the little boy said, “Teacher, they’re on the wrong feet.” She looked down, and sure enough, they were.
It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than putting them on. But she managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on—this time on the right feet. And it was only then that he announced, “These aren’t my boots.” She bit her tongue rather than scream, “Why didn’t you say so?” like she wanted to. And once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.
No sooner had they got the boots off than he said, “They’re my brother’s boots. My mom made me wear ’em today.” Stifling a scream, she mustered up the grace and courage she had left to wrestle the ill-fitting boots on his feet again. Helping him into his coat, she asked, “Now, where are your mittens?” To which he replied, “I stuffed ‘em in the toes of my boots.”
God must get so miffed at us. Some of us say that we love Him and then treat others who are made in His image with contempt. Others say we love Him and don’t do what He says. And then most don’t even say anything to God at all. God must just get so tired of us. God must be so ready to chuck us all and start over.
Well, He almost did at the Genesis flood. But God had mercy upon Noah and his family. God showed His grace and compassion to that one little family, and here we all are today.
God showed His grace by coming to earth as God the Son and dying on a cruel cross at the hands of cruel sinners, which all of us are. The Bible says, “there is none righteous, no not one.” There is none good but one, and that is God. There is none that seeks after God.
But God, just like the kindergarten teacher, keeps loving us despite ourselves. And because He loves us, He gives us life and a steadfast hope and future that is unimaginable.
I guess the kindergarten teacher is so patient because she knows the potential of each of the little ones she has been entrusted with. She knows that they will one day grow up and be men and women and will no longer need her or her help with their boots. But think about this: God will always have to help us with our boots. We will never be to the place where we don’t need God here on this earth or in the world to come. We will never get to live life without Him! For the Christian, that is wonderful, and for the unbeliever, well, you get what you ask for. If you don’t want God, then God is a gentleman. He does not come to where He is not invited.
Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons and read more articles and links to great websites at tomahawkmbc.com.