It was obvious very early on, my oldest child loved dirt and her grandparent’s farm. She testified to her delight in soil’s smell and texture and spent many happy hours in the garden with her grandmother planting and coaxing things to grow. Today she still plays in the dirt working for the University of Arkansas Extension Service in crop research. However, there was one big issue in her dawning dirt days. Her favorite place to play was around her grandparent’s mailbox, close to the road. The texture of pulverized rock, dried leaves and other earthy stuff was the consistency of talcum powder and at every opportunity, Leah packed her toys and headed for the corner of the driveway. The problem with this playground was the traffic flying down the straight, one mile stretch of country road. We warned her of the danger and punished her each time she was found in her favorite pile, but nothing deterred. So, it was day after day of yard guard to keep her safe.
One afternoon, grandfather came in from the hayfield looking for a shovel. He had hit one of the laying hens with the tractor tire and needed to dispose of the crushed carcass. I asked if I could have a moment and took Leah to the scene of the crime. While showing her the dead chicken I explained all death encompassed. The clucking was forever silenced, no worms would be eaten ever again and the baby chicks had no mother. Upon burial, everything from feathers to beak would decay back into dirt. I wanted desperately for her to understand the finality of death and the consequences of an encounter with a motor vehicle. Success was had. Leah never again went to play in the road.
It was said I taught a gruesome lesson on death that day. Rather, it was life I was teaching and fighting for. I did not want my child to suffer the same fate as that barnyard fowl and so I introduced a harsh reality for her to understand and consider. She did and changed her behavior.
There is only one thing I ever hope to achieve; life eternal, for myself and everyone else I can encourage to believe. And! I’m willing to discuss ugly realities and wages of sin. There is a Heaven and there is a hell. One or the other will be your destination, there is no other option.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Revelation 21:8
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whosever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I John 5:11-12
It is instinctive kindness that desires to say, “Everything will be okay.” It might not be so. When someone dear is in spiritual danger, fight for their life! For this is true love.
Blessings,
Gretchen