WE CAN BE GOOD - HE IS THE BEST

READING: MATTHEW 7:7-12

Verse 11: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Picture in your mind’s eye a child who walks by holding on to furniture for support. With that in mind, can you imagine the following scene? The child releases the coffee table and takes an unsupported step on her own, followed by a second one. After that second step, she falls with a plop. At that point her mother becomes involved. Mom looks at her with a sneer and says “You stupid child – you’ve taken only two steps and you have fallen. You’re never going to learn.” Of course you can’t imagine such a scenario. We know that a parent would say “good girl! You’ve taken your first steps. That is so good! Let me help you go further, you are learning to walk.” We know that toddlers make mistakes in the process of learning life skills, even those so basic as learning to walk. We don’t reject them for not being perfect, and our desire is to encourage and help them. We are patient as they learn. In the same manner, but at the level of His greatness, the Lord knows we stumble and fall in our attempts to walk in godliness. He responds to us with perfected love and understanding of our capabilities and limitations, and with His divine and supernatural aid. If we people can be good to our children, how much more our God is unfailing in His goodness to us. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. What is the Lord currently helping you to learn?

2. What can you say to a person who “falls with a plop”