Those Dirty Socks
Read:
Exodus 16:4-5, 21-27
Memorize:
Exodus 16:8 Y Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.
How about you?
Do you sometimes forget to do things, or perhaps do something wrong and then become angry because of the results? Be careful not to blame others for things that are your own fault. Be careful not to blame God! If you've been murmuring and complaining, confess that and receive God's forgiveness. Ask Him to help you to accept your responsibilities without complaint.
Mom, I can't find any clean socks. Missy stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
Mother pointed toward the hamper in the utility room. "Then you didn't put the dirty ones in the hamper like I told you to do," she said. "I washed everything in it yesterday."
"Well, what am I going to do?" wailed Missy.
"You'll just have to wear the same socks you wore yesterday," Mother told her. "Find all the others and put them in the hamper. I'll wash again today."
Missy soon returned with an armload of rumpled clothes. Her mouth was set in a grim line and there was a big frown on her face as she shoved them into the hamper. She started to stomp back to her room.
"Whoa," said Mother. She took a Bible from the kitchen shelf and leafed through it. "Wait a minute! Do you know that you remind me of the Children of Israel?"
"Huh?" Missy stopped in surprise.
"Here. Read this." Mother pointed to the verses on the page so Missy could pick out the words easily. "Read it aloud," she said.
Reluctantly, Missy took the Bible and began to read. "Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none." Missy looked up from the page. "What's it talking about?" she asked.
"Picking up manna--bread from heaven," replied Mother.
Missy still looked puzzled. "Well, what has that got to do with me?"
"The Israelites were to gather manna every day, and a double amount on the sixth day," explained Mother. "Then on the Sabbath, they rested."
"Oh, I remember that!" said Missy. "They were supposed to take double on the sixth day, but some didn't. They went out looking on the Sabbath, and there wasn't any." Missy shrugged. "I still don't see what that has to do with me."
"Well," said Mother, "when they didn't follow God's instructions on the sixth day, their plates were empty on the seventh day, so they went hungry. You didn't follow my instructions, so now your sock drawer is empty. Whose fault is it, Missy?"
"Mine," admitted Missy. "I. . .I shouldn't have been angry at you. I'm sorry. I've followed your instructions now."
"So tomorrow you'll have clean socks!" said Mom, giving her a hug.
Don't Blame Others Or God