Her big blue eyes looked up through thick bangs, and I felt my own tears at her words, “There’s no power at my house.” This first grader was one of my favorites. I held myself together as she continued, “But Mom said we might get it back on this week.”

We were in the middle of January. Snow was predicted for this very evening. I knew I had to spring into action and see what could be done for this family. I looked at the older sister who barely stood an inch taller and asked, “How long have you gone without power?”

“For two weeks,” she sighed. “But our lights and water work.”

Now I was confused. “They do?”

She nodded.

“So what exactly doesn’t work?”

With a look of forlornness and, in a woe-is-me tone, she explained, “All of it works but not our cable TV power. It broke. Mom says it might get fixed tomorrow.”

There are moments when we can look back and smile at what we thought was going on and the relief that came with the knowledge of the entire situation. Small misconceptions can be amusing but others can have spiritual consequences. These need to be explained immediately.

So let’s clear up a few things:

• Christians don’t have perfect marriages or problem-free kids.

• The church is made up of recovering sinners who fall off the wagon. Daily.

• Salvation is found in no other name but Jesus (Acts 4:12).

• God cares what happens to us (1 Peter 5:7), but he won’t step in and fix all of our problems (1 Peter 4:12-13).

• Our Father desires all people to come to him (1 Timothy 2:4). It’s our job to make that happen (Mark 16:15-16).

Let there be no misunderstanding about the important things in life. God lives. He loves. He reigns!

by Paula Harrington @ www.forthright.net