Broken Eggs
If you’ve been around small children much you know they can create a lot of noise! You also know that it’s when they’re quiet, you need to worry most. I found this out many years ago while folding laundry when I suddenly realized I no longer heard my young son playing as I had earlier. My motherly radar on high alert, I went to investigate.
The refrigerator door wide open, there he was, his bare little toes wiggling in a large, slimy puddle of shattered, empty eggshells and all they’d once contained. Looking up at me with large innocent eyes, in his sweetest voice, he said, “I just wanted to see what would happen. Will you help me put them back together?”
Well, we all know how that went don’t we? While tiny hands picked up some of the broken pieces of irreparable shell, they couldn’t remedy the oozy, gooey, mess left behind. A challenging job even for mommy hands!
Isn’t that just like us? We open a door we shouldn’t. Let our curiosity direct our actions. Find ourselves keeping quiet so no one discovers what we’ve thought or done. Sometimes we “just want to see what happens.” And before we know it? The consequences of what we did lay at our feet. Fractured relationships, broken trust, empty dreams, results we didn’t expect or plan for. There WE are, standing in the midst of a mess we can’t clean up.
Little boy tears fell with the realization that the broken eggs couldn’t ever be made whole again. I don’t know about you, but all these years later, I can find myself in the very same place. As I attempt to pick up the pieces, my grief, fear, regret, or a multitude of other feelings overflow down my cheeks. It’s then I recognize, that fixing what I’ve broken is out of my “child-like” hands. Been there? I’m learning that’s the very moment we need to place it all, as slimy, oozy, gooey, and shattered as it is, into The Father’s hands.
“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” Psalm 46:1
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)
We all know cracked eggs cannot be put back together and unfortunately all we’ve intentionally or unintentionally let “fall and break” may not be mended either. But, amazingly when we look up and ask for God’s help to fix what’s broken, ultimately, it is you and I who are lovingly restored.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.”
Romans 5:8-11 (NLT)
There is so much that is broken in our world, but I don’t want to ever forget how broken I am and the amazing gift God has given me in making me whole through Jesus on the cross and out of the grave! I hope you find some encouragement here this week as I’ve written with the others at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com to the prompt “Broken”. I thank you for your presence here and am blessed by you more than you know!
This is a beautiful reminder of our own son doing the same thing! He was about two years old, and at first I was upset in my mind. But, then I noted how precious and innocent the deed was. I pray we can all present our broken selves to the Father for his restoration as you shared. There is beauty in our mess! <3 jennifer, FMF
I opened up the guarded door
to see what I could find,
and after that I was so sore
’cause God whacked my behind.
He’d said, “Now sonny, stay away
from business not your own,
or you will regret the day
you’re paddled to the bone!”
And, well, I didn’t pay no heed,
for I thought I was cunning,
and then I found I had the need
to go back, crying, running
to the God whose belt just did not miss,
and who now gave me a loving kiss.
I love this post., and agree with Paula about the great lesson it teaches us.
(But I must admit, before I got to the lesson part and realized where you were going with this, my first thought was what a sweet memory–even though I’m sure it felt more shocking than sweet when you discovered the mess).
Sandra, you are so right! This is a favorite memory of mine! He looked so cute and heartbroken standing in all that goo! And it was quite a feat to clean it up! It just slid around! I really love when looking back teaches me a lesson too! I so appreciate you taking time to comment.
Oh, Cindy, I love this post. And such a great lesson to be had. Blessings.
Thank you Paula! It always makes me kinda shake my head when God uses my own writing to teach a lesson He has for me! Thanks for taking time to stop in!