17 April | Teens
«And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.» 1 Chronicles 21:13
Imagine having to choose between three paths, all of which are difficult. The King David of the Bible found himself in exactly such a situation. He needed to choose a consequence for a mistake he had made. Do you know what he chose? Even though David was afraid of what might happen, he chose to trust in God. He knew that God was full of love and mercy, even when He needed to correct someone.
David said something very important: it is better to fall into the hands of God than into the hands of men. This means that even when we are afraid or when we make mistakes, we can trust that God will take care of us with love. He knows our hearts, He knows everything about us, and yet He loves us very much!
God is not like people, who can sometimes be harsh or not understand our mistakes. God always wants to help us grow and be better. He is like a loving father who, even when He needs to teach us hard lessons, He does so with affection and for our good.
Take Action
Play the stick game with your family. You will need three sticks: two of the same size and one shorter. Hold the sticks so that no one can see which one is the smallest. Each member of the family chooses a toothpick, and whoever picks up the little one will have to do a household chore. But here is the special part: the other family members can choose to help by showing mercy and working together!