Tonight, I remembered something I encountered several years ago that changed my life. It was a Sunday morning and I had skipped church because I was "too busy" to go that morning. I drove to the mall to buy a comforter cover in preparation of having company for the following week. As I drove through the parking lot of the mall, I saw a man and a small boy near the curb outside. The man was swatting at the little boy and the boy was flailing his arms and crying hysterically. It was quite a scene. The man just kept hitting the child over and over again and he would not stop. I put my foot on the brakes and just sat in my car in horror as the scene played out right in front of me. I seriously considered calling the police to report child abuse. I didn't know what to do so I just started praying out loud for this poor boy while the whole scene continued right in front of my already stopped car. A few sentences into my prayer, I finally saw it. The bee. And I watched as the bee finally flew away from the little boy. Still staring in disbelief, I saw the father put his arm around the little boy, turn toward my car to cross the road, and look straight at me. That is when I could see the father's face and I saw the love in his eyes. Then I saw compassion and tenderness in his face as he protectively helped his son cross the street.
In a flash, I went from horrified to surprised to relieved to the point of tears. Sometimes things are not as they first seem. This man was not beating his child. No, the father was in an all-out assault against the bee. Then I could see the truth. The Father Loves. The Father Loves so much that He will defend His child against the attacks of the enemy in whatever means necessary. He Loves so much that He does not care if other people misperceive what He is doing while He is protecting and fighting for His child. He has fierce Love in His eyes for His children. In the end, He wins and will put His arm around us and guide us safely home.
