When you're not sure what to do. . .

A few years ago I had the chance to talk with a young lady who had become increasingly frustrated with the fact that she didn't know what she wanted to do in life. After learning she would be attending nursing school, I asked, "How do you know you want to do nursing?" She became so unsettled that she began to cry as she exclaimed, "I don't know! I don't know if I will even like it! What if I get in school and just end up hating it?! I just don't want to fail . . ."

In response to her fear of failure, this story began to form in my mind...

Imagine a 3 year old standing in the middle of a strawberry field. Now, just at the edge of the field stands her Papa. 

The three year old is picking strawberries, and putting them in a little blue plastic pail. As you look over, you notice that it is nearly filled to the rim. All of a sudden, the little girl’s eyes light up - her Papa is watching!! Immediately she starts running across the field to deliver her prized trophies. However, just as she begins to pick up her pace, her little sandal gets caught in a vine and she trips to the ground. Most of what she had labored for is spilled to the ground. At first she is startled and nearly in tears, but one look at her Papa’s smile and she quickly stands up, grabs her pail, and heads for the edge again.

At this point, you realize she has left most of the strawberries on the ground, and even managed to step on a good portion of them in her haste to get going again. You watch as she continues, stumbling, falling again, and eventually reaching the edge. She stands before her Papa, face smudged, dress dirty and crumpled, and presents her treasured pail of strawberries - except now, it is only 1/2 of what it originally contained.

Now, what parent in his right mind would point to the pile of spilled strawberries and say, "Look what you've done! What a waste - how could you be so thoughtless? Go back and pick up what you spilled, you filthy good-for-nothing!” 

Ummm, no.

I can’t imagine ANYONE saying that to their little one.

The only imaginable response - especially towards such a precious little one - would be pride, joy, and a warm hug coupled with words of praise.

After sharing the story, it was so wonderful to see this girl's eyes light up - "He loves the gift not for its own value, but because he loves the person giving it." 

Bingo! You've got it! 

We sat there, laughing, crying, overjoyed at the realization that God loves what we offer because ultimately, He loves us.

What a relief to realize - even when I'm making mistakes, I'm falling forward.