A story is told of a woman who spent years trying to live up to her father’s expectations and win his approval, but this struggle had only earned her years of therapy.
One day the therapist suggested a radical idea. The next time she visited her father, he told her to do one thing – ask him a particular question.
Full of frustration, but also hope for change, the woman determined to follow her therapist’s advice.
On the day of the visit, she had prepared her dad’s favourite pie. After cutting two pieces, she sat across from him, took a deep breath and asked this question.
“If you could choose for me, your daughter, to be anything you wanted, what would you want me to be like?”
Dad paused, fork midway to his mouth, then he replied.
“Why, I would want you to be just like the loving daughter that you are!”
So many times, our individual imperfections mask our true intent and, thus, our true selves from each other. When a young child sits amongst an abundance of toys and asks, “What can I play with?” we find it amusing. But when we “sit” among our fellows and focus on what is missing, I am not amused. I really believe that we cripple ourselves.
God sent His Son to solve these kind of problems. Yes, He came to “save us” but the unpacking of what that term means offers a lifetime of discovery. The life He came to give us centers in the truth about His Father, the One who already loves and forgives us (John 3:16, 17:3.)
When we encounter the “risen Lord,” let’s embrace the truth He has given us. The truth that our God already forgives and loves us; the truth that He has asked us to follow Him so that we can live an “abundant” life here and now. The reality is that we can be surrounded by all of God’s gifts, but unless we engage in a relationship with Him, we will sadly miss out on most of the blessings He longs to give us.
After Jesus’ resurrection and following their encounter with Him on the road to Emmaus, the disciples remarked: “It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us.” (Luke 24:32.)
Spring is late this year and the snow is slow to melt. May we not be late or slow in grasping the truth Jesus offers us in His victory over the tomb. Let each of us take advantage of the “light” and “fire” of the truth of our risen Lord.
Peggy Corbett is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.