A Slavegirl's Choice

     Devotions with my boy this morning: Jonah and the big fish.  It's one of his favorite Bible stories.  He sits in anticipation with eager ears as the story is read.  "Even though the people of Ninevah were running from God and doing terrible things, He couldn't stop loving them.  He had Jonah go talk to the people so that they could be saved."  We talked more about this until his mind wandered and he asked, "Mom, it's like that bad guy who took the girl as his slave and killed her family."  I had to think for a second... "Do you mean Namaan?  The story we read about a few days ago?"  "Yeah!"  "Oh, well... Namaan took her and made her his slave.  You're right.  Namaan had leprosy.  The girl knew someone who could help him.  His name was Elisha and he was a prophet of God.  So, Namaan went to Elisha and he was healed by washing in a river.  Do you remember why this happened?  That the girl chose to forgive him for the wrongs he had done?  And she chose to help him instead of just being angry?"  His eyebrows furrowed at this.  "Yes, but she should be angry at him for killing her family and making her a slave!"  "The Bible says we are supposed to forgive those who do bad things to us.  It doesn't mean that we have to like the bad things they do.  In fact we shouldn't.  But we are supposed to forgive them and choose to love them."  His eyes averted and he was in his own little world.  I wonder how that processes in the mind of a 4 year old.
     Do I live and walk out my days in a way that helps him to grasp this?  Is there someone I still haven't forgiven?  What was it I just said to my son?  "Lord, help me to walk out my faith in plain view.  Help there to be no hypocritical way in me.  Show me where I lack, Father."