Getting what we deserve
By BRUCE PORTER
Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church
One hot summer morning my brother's friend Kenny came over to play. He had something special he wanted to show us. He directed us to the open field next to our house, which was mostly dry grass with old brittle leaves scattered about. Kenny picked one of the leaves and then reached into his pocket to withdraw a magnifying glass.
"Check this out!" he said with enthusiasm.
He held the dry brown leaf by its stem and focused the magnifying glass over it so the sunlight shining through the glass created a single bright dot in the middle of the leaf. Within seconds, the leaf began to emit minute trails of smoke. The small dot rapidly turned black and then suddenly burst into flame, which Kenny threw aside before he would be burned.
Unfortunately, as the leaf landed, the tall dry grass we were standing in immediately ignited. The fire spread so fast that we didn't even have time to think about trying to stomp out the flames. My brother and I bolted out of the field and around the fence that separated the field from our house. Kenny bolted too, but he kept running for home three blocks away.
As we stood in the front yard looking over the fence with panic written on our faces, we heard the voice of a lady screaming, "Call the fire department!" This woman just happened to be strolling by when the fire erupted. My brother ran into the house to call the fire department while the woman instructed me to get the hose and turn on the water.
She took the hose and sprayed the fence to keep the fire from engulfing our house. The fire department was there in no time at all and controlled the fire while letting the grass burn to reduce the potential hazard.
The disaster was over. At least so we thought. Our parents weren't home during this exciting event. My dad was at work while my mom was off shopping with our two little sisters. Her first comment when she entered with her bags and our sisters was "My, what happened to the field next door?" With a stroke of genius, my brother offered, "The fire department had a controlled burn to get rid of the weeds." Smart guy!
About that time, we heard a knock on the door. The voice, although muffled, sounded strangely familiar. The lady who helped put out the fire! She was going on and on about how my brother and I set the field on fire.
My mother rarely got angry, but on this occasion she was mad enough to utter the dreaded words, "You boys go to your room and wait until your father gets home!" Unfortunately, my dad came home on time. I really felt sorry for him. Not as sorry for him as for me, but sorry for him having to be greeted with the task of disciplining his sons as soon as he walked through the door.
My brother and I could hear traces of the event excitedly being retold by my mother through our tightly shut bedroom door. Then we heard the fateful footfalls of my dad, sounding like a giant slowly coming down the hallway.
My dad entered, closed the door behind him, and said, "All right, which one of you started the fire?"
Being quick with words, I said, "Not me dad."
My brother said the same thing. Before we had time to really explain the situation and somehow lay the blame on Kenny, my dad heatedly replied, "Well, one of you is lying. So I guess I'll have to spank you both." My dad's pronouncements were always final.
I did get my spanking. It hurt. I cried. I was mad. I didn't deserve it! I wasn't the one who started the fire! I was bitter for a time. But as I looked back on that event years later, I realized that even if we really didn't deserve a spanking for the fire incident, I know that there were plenty of other things we did that we deserved spankings for that we got away with (or my parents just decided to overlook).
So, all things considered, I don't hold it against my dad. In fact, I can only really remember being spanked by my dad that one time. He probably should have given us weekly spankings just to cover all of the stuff we did that we didn't get caught for!
One thing I'm sure about is our parents disciplined us because they loved us and wanted us to understand the difference between right and wrong and that there are consequences that come with our actions. Hebrews 12:10 says, "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good."
But here is the great part; The Bible also says in Psalm 103:8-13, "God is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him."
I'm just thankful that God hasn't given me what I really deserve!
