Proverbs piece #10 – If You’re a Mom You Can Tell

“Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right.” Proverbs 20:11

If you’re a Mom you can tell when your child is lying. It’s just something Moms know and can tell by the eye contact, body language, and tone of the child’s voice. Don’t ever try to fool us because it just doesn’t work. The Message translates the verse this way: “Young people eventually reveal by their actions if their motives are on the up and up.” That is so true! Even sweet little girls who look like angels with beautiful blue eyes and soft baby-like skin can lie. It’s true even when we don’t want to believe it.

Grandmothers can also tell when their grandkids are lying. I remember catching my youngest grandson in a lie a few weeks ago. One day, I found wrappers under the cushions in my couch. “Moe, did you put those wrappers there?” His huge blue-green eyes looked up at me with his extremely long eyelashes half-lowered, “No.” I knew in an instant he was lying to me. When I told him I knew it was him who had done the dastardly deed a pouty lip popped out and tears glistened in his eyes. “But, I didn’t do it!” he protested. “Are you sure?” I asked in my most grandmotherly voice. All the signs were there and now it was time to pour on all he had. Lip fluttering in and out, he quietly replied, “No.” I’d seen this all before. It was Moe’s way of saying, “I did it, but I didn’t want to be caught.”

What do we do when we’re caught? When God sees all we do anyway, how in the world do we think we can get away with the things we do? Do we really believe He’s not watching and is going to be surprised to find out? Come on! We’re just like my little grandson who knows it’s wrong to do something but does it anyway hoping nobody saw. How like little kids we are!

And like little children we too are prone to sin and our motives, though we somehow think are ok, are not. It’s sin. Just call it what it is. Take a good look through your heavenly Father’s eyes today and try to see yourself as He sees you. You are known by your deeds, whether or not they’re pure and right. Kind of shows the little kid inside of you, doesn’t it?