Good All Day

I had a wonderful conversation with a Kindergarten student this morning. I was walking down to the 7th grade classroom in preparation for Catechism class as one of my Sunday School students was arriving for the day. He saw me coming down the hall and stopped to say Hi. We had an interesting conversation.

“Hi, Miss Carol.”
“Hi, Blake. Are you ready for another day of Kindergarten?”
“Yes. And I’m going to be good all day today.”
“That’s good. Is that what you promised your mother?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Aren’t you always good?”
“Most of the time.”

Then we split into our separate paths.
I loved that conversation with Blake. It not only made me smile but made me appreciate the honesty of a 5 year old. If we were all that honest, we know that if someone had that same conversation with us, we would have the same answers.

“Are you ready for a new day?”
“Yes. And I’m going to be good all day.”
“Is that what you promised God?”
“Uh-Huh.”
“But aren’t you always good?”
“Not most of the time.”

Like Blake, I often fail in the promises that I make to God and to those around me. There is a chance that Blake’s mom might be disappointed tonight when she hears the report of Blake’s day, but I know that she will still give him hugs and kisses and let him know that she loves him. God does the same for me. He continues to love me and give me good things. He loved me and all of us sinful human beings so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Because of our faith in Jesus, we can say, “I’m sorry for the mess I made of this day.” And God will always offer us forgiveness and a fresh start for a new day. And tomorrow, because Blake loves his mother, he will again promise to be good all day. And out of thankfulness for that gift of forgiveness God gives us, we also will continually make that promise to try harder next time—with the help of the Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:19 (English Standard Version)
We love because he first loved us.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for Your Son’s death and resurrection which paid the price for our sins. Thank you for the gift of faith that the Holy Spirit has worked in our lives. Thank you for the gift of eternal life that we receive through that faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Help us to show our love to You and to those around us out of thankfulness for the great love that You have shown us.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen