Natalie Thinks

One particular incident from my childhood always sticks out in my mind.  I had accidently broken a cup and, despite knowing that I was in a loving home, my immediate reaction was one of fear – what would happen?  My mother responded gently, “It’s okay, sweetie, accidents happen.”  As a youngish child, that was such a pivotal experience of grace.  There was no punishment, no reprimand, just gentle grace. It’s something I have always kept in mind as I raise my own children.  Of course, I know I haven’t succeeded all the time.  Especially on accidental matters.  It always seems too easy to react with a raised voice and to add on a rebuke, “if you weren’t running this wouldn’t have happened; or if you’d just been more careful it wouldn’t have happened!” How much harder it is to show grace when the transgressions are not just accidental, but deliberate thought-out choices: hitting their brother, saying something rude, and so on. Yet God models...