Sin, Grace, and a Hard-Headed Kid

Tuesday marked day nine in the three-week run of “Mom’s Already In Virginia So Dad Is Trying To Maintain Control.” It didn’t go well.

It started fine, with Maverick at summer camp and Goose with me. When we picked Maverick up, things went downhill fast. No nap, too much TV and a late dinner/bedtime surely didn’t help. There were plenty of tears; and the boys were plenty upset too. You see, Maverick is a redhead, through and through. Hard-headed, determined, and passionate.

And Tuesday was a banner day.

I’ll admit here that I thought, said, and texted to Elizabeth things I regret. I was a bad daddy. And a bad person.

“Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.”
― O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi

It is easy in those situations, at least for me, to discount the good and focus solely on the bad. To see only the sin, and the sinner. We do that in life, as well. We see those struggling, downtrodden or different, and immediately focus on the negatives.

This past weekend my Dad and I passed a panhandler on the corner and had a good discussion about charity and first impressions. I relayed a story that played out several times over the past few years.

The trip from the boys’ previous school to St. Dunstan’s took us by a corner popular with panhandlers. And most nights I made this trip I had just picked up dinner for me and the boys. As we neared the intersection, I (usually) silently hoped the light would stay green so I wouldn’t have to confront the man on the street. Usually that didn’t happen.

If I was alone, I often averted my eyes and waited for him to pass. But on those nights when the boys were with me, I couldn’t. I’d hear the typical refrain of, “He is hungry and we have food. Let’s help him.” And if I acted like I didn’t hear the backseat pleas, that hard (red) head would start to come out.

Sure thing, Maverick. Let’s help him.

Yesterday morning was still a bit rough. However, from the moment we picked him up from camp, Maverick was:

Calm.
Compliant.
Compassionate.

He was a new kid. Rather, he was the same great kid he’s always been.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!
― 2 Corinthians 5:17

I was just a new dad, and could finally see what was in there the whole time.