Daddy Said

Daddy Said

I was in the 4th grade when my father told my brother and I to go and get our ping pong equipment from our friend Hugh. Instead we had a "better idea". Our friends invited us to play baseball.

Oh how I loved playing baseball. It was one of my only outlets. I was either practicing piano lessons, doing homework or in church somewhere in my spare time. Yes, baseball was my great escape.

Mom had always given me the continuing  instruction to always be careful because the enemy desired always to sift me as wheat. In other words divide me into a thousand places so that I was useless to everyone. She always felt I was called of God to be an ambassador. She felt that the enemy of God was always trying to take me out.

The baseball game was going very well. Robert was up to bat. Strike one, then strike two was called. Robert seemed a little anxious. The pitcher released the ball. It made contact with the bat. In excitement, Robert let the bat fly. The bat made contact with my  nose. The only thing I remember was seeing white squiggly lines against a black background Then I remember my brother taking me home with my nose busted wide open. I met my mom and dad as I went in the house.

Dad was looking very angry. Mom was looking emotionally upset. Dad asked, didn't I tell you to go get your equipment and come straight back?

I was trying to figure out why didn't we come straight back. Dad rushed me to the hospital. Four stitches later, we were on our way home. My dad seeking a punishment for my disobedience said, you might not get to go on your field trip. No anything but that, I thought. He let me rest on those words for a few days. Mom did eventually speak in my defense. I enjoyed the field trip.

As  an adult this story has spiritual significance for me. When "Daddy God" tells us to do something there will always be distractions along the way. Enticing voices will pull on us. Enjoyment will call out our name. I don't what led my biological father to tell us to come straight back. All I know my disobedience caused me to suffer undue hurt and pain. I carry to this day, 41 years later, the scar of my disobedience. What spiritual scars am I carrying due to my spiritual disobedience.

The enemy desires to destroy us. He desires to sift us as wheat also. I think about the goodness, mercy and grace that God gives but I also think about the scars.