What Kind of Message is That?!

I'm very careful not to cloud my witness.

Reacting in anger, sprinkling my language with cursing, or living contrary to the words I speak negates the testimony that shows the glory of God in my life.

It isn't that hard.

My life is far from perfect but it isn't a facade. The peace, and the joy, are real and don't change just when others are around.

My marriage is in the same in private as it is in public.

Well, except for those fights over the thermostat.

This transparency, along with the consistency of my words and actions over time, have led to somewhat of a reverent trust in me on the streets.

Quite simply, they know I'm going to do what's right.

I took great pride in that.

There were two words in the last sentence of note.

I TOOK...and great PRIDE...

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

A nine year-old was about to take me down.

I never saw it coming.

The local kids were still out for Christmas break, today being deemed a teacher work day in our district. Some of the parents in church were unaware of this additional day and had to work.

I selflessly volunteered to take the kids to the movie. (Selflessly was said very facetiously here, as I had already looked up showtimes for the latest Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, wondering if it would more odd for a middle-aged woman to go alone or dress my dog up as a child and pretend we were on a family outing. Thankfully I had to do neither.)

Mary and I stopped at the supermarket to load up on candy and sodas before we picked the other kids up.

"We're going to the movie!" she excitedly told the cashier. Mary's parents don't speak much English so movies are a real treat for her.

The cashier raised an eyebrow at me as she bagged the forbidden food and I shrugged, then she laughed and told us to have a good time.

As soon as we got to the car, I tried to explain the movie/concession stand situation.

"Um, Mary, we don't really tell people we are buying food for the movie."

"Why?" She was curious, and a little confused.

"Well, you aren't supposed to bring food into the movie theater. You're supposed to buy it there." She was still confused so I continued, "But it's really expensive there."

"Oh. But it's okay because they are so mean? Making you pay so much money?" She was trying to grasp my reasoning.

"Well, they're not mean, they just charge a lot. So most people bring their own stuff."

"Oh, so it's okay because everyone else is doing it?" There was not a trace of sarcasm in her voice; the child was taking my every word to heart.

"No, no," I stammered out some incoherent reply as I turned the radio up.

Complete and total fail.

The conversation ended, but far from resolved in my heart, I debated on what to do. (Erroneously) justifying my lack of cash as the reason to imbibe in the treats anyway, it should come as no surprise that the treats tasted as appetizing as moth balls to me.

They might not have realized the huge spiritual implications that came with my decision to blatantly disregard the theater's rules, but I did. I'd never before been convicted when sneaking in theater treats, but when this child could only present sinful thoughts in understanding my reasoning, I got it.

It's often those little justifications that open the doors to bigger ones. If this is God's way of saving me from a bigger cliff down the road, I'm heeding caution now.

Thanks, Mary. Sometimes we all need to see life through the eyes of a child.