Tattletale!!!!

Tattling. Is that a mother's worst nightmare or what? There is nothing worse than a repetitive cry of "She's looking at me!" all day long. Am I right? (of course I am, it was rhetorical, darlin' ;)

There has been many a day when I've wanted (and probably told them so) to rip out my children's vocal chords if they tattled on each other one more time! Don't they understand there are more important things in this world than the doll they each are swearing they each had first? Do they comprehend I have other things to do than referree them all day?

One day, I was considering this topic and ever so gently, the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart on the subject. (Why? I don't know, like I've said before, the Lord talks to me through some pretty strange stuff.) Anyway, I began to think more and more and truthfully... I was convicted. How in the world could I be convicted over telling my girls to stop tattling? I mean, they were being selfish and I wasn't allowing it. So there.  Well, um, the Lord stopped me in my tracks with one question.

"How would you feel if I turned you away when you came to Me with a hurt, an injustice or a disagreement?"

Yipe! Yipe! Yipe! That one stung like a red-hot poker on my toe! I was literally stunned speechless. (I know, hard to imagine, huh?) I stopped and thought. How I would feel if the Lord just told me to quit tattling when I came to Him with pain? How would I feel if He behaved as though I wasn't the only one in the room and my concerns didn't matter to Him at all? How would I feel? How bad would that hurt?  Needless to say, I made some parenting changes that day and I believe my girls and me are the better for it.

Now, while I'm absolutely not God. (oh, my aren't we all grateful for that? ;) I do believe that God is a perfect parent who's never done wrong and His example is one I should follow. The smallest thing that's important to me is important to God and while there are times He has to tell me to grow the flip up and act like an adult... He always listens, always understands.  He could choose not to, right? I mean, He's God, after all, but He chooses to listen to me, to love on me, to correct me and I'm so very thankful for it. Even though He has the entire universe to run and I'm quite sure there are more pressing concerns than my hurt feelings, He still makes time for me. He never tells me to stop tattling. :)

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." - Matthew 10:29-31