The Peppermint Lesson

It is a challenge to keep our two year old grandson Ryan quiet in church. He is very well behaved for his Pa-Pa during the singing, offering and such but when his Grandpa gets up to preach, the Big Test begins. One Sunday someone sitting behind us offered Ryan a peppermint. Not wanting to add choking to the list of catastrophes, Ryan’s daddy tried to break the hard candy in pieces with his hands. No such luck, so he put the unwrapped candy in his mouth to break it up. The tooth tool worked well, leaving many pieces to be enjoyed throughout the service. Meanwhile, all Ryan saw was his Daddy putting the piece of candy in his mouth to be enjoyed. Perceiving this great injustice, Ryan opened his mouth and screamed like a trapped animal. Ryan didn’t care we were in the middle of a church service listening to a sermon. He did care that his Daddy had taken his piece of candy! It turned ugly quickly.

How about the times in life when our Heavenly Father is doing things for our good – to keep harm from coming our way - to keep us from “choking”? We wrongly perceive Him as neither caring, loving, or giving us what we think we deserve or want. We scream, kick and act like a two year old giving vent to frustrations. It can get downright dreadful.

James 1:16-17 says, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights…”

The Psalmist states in Psalm 84: 11: For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”


I take comfort knowing God works all things for our good when we are in Him. He never withholds good from us out of cruelty, or selfishness. He knows what we need and when we need it. The next time you see a child throwing a temper tantrum, listen up. God may be trying to get your attention.