I'm not the superhero Jesus is...but I'm working on it!!!

This morning I came blithely out to the kitchen armed with an old toothbrush with the goal of scrubbing something and saw my 5 year old looking at me oddly from across the counter. I started to be kinda' silly with her when I realized the reason for her look as I stepped into a huge pile of sugar... 

I then saw that she had milk, vanilla, and the sugar container all setting by a cup on the counter and knew that she had been about to ask me to mix her her favorite drink (inspired by drinks we used to get in Guatemala). Obviously, she'd had an accident with the sugar container. And, equally obviously, she had fear in my reaction. 

That disturbed me.

Suddenly, I thought of it...

The angel told Mary that Jesus was coming to earth thru her and that "He will save His people from their sins."

The angel didn't say Daddy was coming down from heaven, "to teach us a lesson!!!" Or, to, "give us a good butt-whoopin!!" But, to save us from our mistakes, crap attitudes, disobedience, bad decisions, and outright stupidity (aka sins).

He's the universe's greatest hero!

How do people generally react to the arrival of a hero on the scene of a problem? People in movies see the bad guy (problem) wreaking havoc and destruction and they call out and wish for the arrival of the hero, feel joy when they see the hero approaching, and feel relief when they know the hero has seen the problem. They feel free from anxiety and fear because the hero has arrived and they have confidence that the hero will save them from the problem!

Jesus is my example how to live...and how to parent. 

When my daughter had the sugar accident that's when her face should have been downcast. Because of the mess. Because of needing help cleaning it up. NOT because of fearing my arrival. She should NOT have feared me coming into the room or my reaction. She should have felt no dread in my approach but only relief! She should have looked eagerly and anxiously for me and felt great relief as soon as I saw the problem knowing that I was about to save her from her mess. If I was following Jesus' example how to live and how to parent that's how she would have felt.

Super heroes...always save and protect...and all their "violent" energy is focused on the problem...not the person needing saved.

These eyes of a superhero in battle...are reserved for the enemy...

Most parents have that look...toward their child...

So sdrawkcab!!

So, back to my 5 year old and the spilled sugar...I have never laid a hand on her. Never spanked her. But, like the 2nd language I speak (Spanish) I still speak my parenting language "with a spanking accent." Something in me is still "punitive" and still strives to find fault and blame and somehow make the child "pay" even if it's just having to endure the wrathful eyes of angry mom. :( 

I still have work to do...but all along the way...as long as I am "looking to the sky looking for the Hero to fly in and save ME from MY SINS"...I will keep becoming aware of these problems I still have and can have confidence that, "If I confess my sins He's faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me."

He'll do the same for you...

Just imagine a whole world full of Super Parents...dedicated to using the Biblical rod the same way the ancient shepherds did...to protect the sheep from predators...

What a world that would be!!!