A “Wedgie” and a Teachable Moment

Yesterday I had laundered our bedding and was remaking the bed when Laine asked if she could  help.  I thanked her for her willingness to serve, and she went to one side of the bed while I worked on the other.

As we tucked and pulled on the sheets, trying to get them “just right”, Laine discovered a stubborn wrinkle in the middle of the bed.  She rubbed her hand over it, trying to smooth out the bubble, and said, “This sheet has a wedgie!”

Completely caught off guard by her humorous comment, I burst into laughter.  Laine evidently hadn’t intended to be funny, because she sheepishly turned her head with hurt feelings.  Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time we’ve been amused by Laine’s unwitting wit.  She’s just a clever individual, even (or perhaps especially) when she’s not trying to be.  But lately she’s been getting embarrassed by our spontaneous laughter.

I’ve been reading a life-changing, eye-opening book called Teach Them Diligently: How to Use the Scriptures in Child Training  by Lou Priolo.  I’m sure I’ll tell you more about this great read in another post, because it’s been amazing so far.

So in the book, the author encourages parents to teach the Bible to their children in the middle of every day life, for lots of reasons.  Usually, that’s when we have their best attention.  But also, it’s important that they learn that God’s Word is useful for every situation in our life.

Eager to apply what I’d recently read, I stopped making my bed, grabbed my Bible, and pulled sweet Laine onto my lap.  I kissed her forehead, held her tightly, and assured her that I wasn’t laughing at her to make fun of her.

I explained that God uniquely created her with an amazing sense of humor.  I told her that when she was in my belly, God said, “I’m going to make this one funny.  She’ll bring joy to others and will make people smile.”  I began reading from Psalm 139, focusing on these verses:

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

I wish I could report to you that Laine listened intently, meditating on the truths of Scripture as they permeated her heart and molded her character.  But I would be lying.  In reality, while I was reading, Laine became distracted with Claire getting into her toys, and she hopped off my lap and reclaimed her possessions.

But I continued through the entire Psalm, reading and then explaining each verse.  And while she may not have been focused, internalizing those words, she heard them.  And she will hear them again.

My prayer is that the more she hears, the more she will believe.  And the more she believes, the more she will know how much God loves her and how much she needs a Savior.  And one inconceivably joyous day, I pray that she will repent of her sin and ask Jesus to be the boss of her whole life.

But that part is not my job.  For now, my job is to read, teach, explain, and apply God’s Word in our every day lives, trusting Him with her little heart.