Dirty Britches

My family and I were helping to clean a friend’s place one day. It took us about 2 hours and went quickly until Ginger, “my wife,” came into the room I was cleaning to tell me something. She said to me that our daughter had had an accident, one that involved dirty britches. Lily, ” our daughter,” said to her that her stomach was hurting, and we figured after the job, we would go and give her some tummy medicine. Ginger said that Lily was very embarrassed and didn’t want me to know about it. My wife just wanted me to go home, grab a change of clothes for her and come back. Ginger had left the room, and I started thinking about the situation.

My daughter would see me going because she was in the front room and would start questioning why I was leaving. She would also beg to come with me. Instead, I called Lily, saying, “Hurry, come here”! Lily came bursting into the room saying,” What’s the matter, Daddy”! I told her that I had an accident, that I didn’t want her to tell Mommy, and that I needed to go home to get some new shorts. As soon as she heard this, she looked worried on her face. She told me, “let me see daddy,” and tried to look behind me. Instead, I kept saying,” I’m embarrassed I don’t want to show you”! Lily told me,” It will be okay, Daddy. I had an accident too, and that accidents happened. Then I told her that I would run home and grab some new shorts, and for her as well. We would then be okay. It choked me up a bit, however, knowing that I was trying to help my daughter, and she, in turn, helped me with a kind, loving heart. It reminds me of a couple of different scriptures. One is John 13:34, A new command I give you love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. The other is Ephesians 4:2. Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Many other scriptures support the story that I have shared with you. The importance, however, is that we show empathy and compassion towards one another. We want God to love us every second of every day. Should we not do the same for others who want that same Love. Every morning, we should place all of our worries, struggles, and fears at Jesus’s feet and ask how we can love others the same way He loves us.

Dear heavenly Father, we come to you this morning and lay all our struggles, worries, and fears at your feet. Giving us a clean slate for the day to go out and help others. Show us how to break our hardened hearts and show others love today. In Jesus’ precious name, amen!