Yesterday, once again, I had a situation in my home where one child took it upon themselves to be the judge and the one who punishes. Something was not right, and, by golly, they were going to make sure that the person in error was going to pay!
I was so frustrated! I knew the situation better, I knew the children involved better, and I knew the best way to teach/discipline them in such a way that it would be less likely to happen again. As in many cases before, I wish that the other kids would stay out of it. Their sense of "justice" and "punishment" tends to make things a whole lot worse--not to mention, there is absolutely no mercy or love involved.
As I fumed and stewed about what to do, I was struck by a thought. How much more must Heavenly Father, our God in Heaven, regret when we stick our oars in, "righting the wrongs" of those around us, when it is really none of our business? He knows the people involved better than we do, He knows the situations, and He knows the best way to teach them, yet, somehow, we seem to think He needs our help to enact His righteous justice.
Of course we need to judge righteously, but (as my incredible husband put it) we don't condemn. Very seldom in the history of the world does the Lord actually use people to step in as His divine hand of vengeance.
It made me think about how sometimes I probably make things a lot worse when I allow myself to judge, condemn, and punish. How do I "punish"? Shunning, excluding, snide comments, unkind thoughts, nights of planning out "what I should say or do" when I next interact with that person so I can "teach them a lesson" or "show them the right way."
Anyway, it helped me see a different perspective, because I could see first-hand in my parent mini-world how frustrating it might be for Heavenly Father to see us hurt each other, those whom He loves so dearly, and for whom He really knows what is best.
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