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By Andy and Renie Bowman

Little Jimmy was one of those eight-year-old boys who seemed to be able to find a mud puddle in the Sahara Desert and within seconds have his body covered with it. Sandy hair falling over mischievous bright eyes, he was an intelligent, energetic kid who had a boundless love of life.

Jimmy wasn’t exactly a deliberately disobedient child, but his exuberant love of adventure seemed to cause him to have a lot of difficulty staying within his dad’s boundaries. Repeated warnings, lectures and flat-out punishment changed nothing. Eventually, Dad finally reached the point of holding Jimmy seriously accountable. 

After the latest bad decision to flaunt the rules, Dad called the boy into the kitchen for a serious talk. He sat Jimmy down at the table, moved the salt and pepper shakers aside and with a stern face he leaned in close.

“Son, do you have any idea how disappointed I am in you tonight?”

Jimmy’s head dropped, “Ummm, I, uhhhh,” wiggle, squirm, “I dunno know what you’re talkin’ ‘bout, Dad.”

“Yes, I’m pretty certain you do, Jimmy. And I’m also pretty certain you remember from the last time this happened that I told you the penalty for this was going to be stiff. And I meant exactly what I said.”

More wiggling and squirming.

“Jimmy, do you remember what I told you I would have to do, if you decided to disobey me again?”

Dad sat quietly while Jimmy squirmed, and shuffled his restless feet. Waiting patiently for his son to confess. Seconds passed into minutes as the little boy struggled with rebellion, telling the truth, his guilt and his fear of punishment.

Finally, the dam broke. With a sigh, the guilt came out in a storm of tears as Jimmy looked up into his dad’s eyes and started owning up. Even stuff that his dad had never heard before now. Choking with conflicting emotions of anger and unconditional love, he gathered his little guilt-ridden criminal into his arms and waited for the tears to stop. Finally, only sniffles remained.

“Son, I’m so glad you’ve told all this to me. Now, your honest tears are going to make a difference in what I must do because I am your dad. But son, there are some apologies and pay-back to the neighbors you are going to have to make. You are going to have to make things right.”

Dad held Jimmy away and looked squarely in his eyes. 

“But you better understand this. My forgiveness tonight does not mean that you will get by with this behavior from now on, with no consequences. You’re too big for this to continue, you understand?”

Folks, little Jimmy is you and me. And that dad is your God and Creator. And His forgiveness, when our honest tears of repentance fall, is very real.

But, like Jimmy’s dad said, you gotta confess.

The CoffeeTime Column is part of the Bowman’s ministry of preaching, writing, singing, and counseling. They also stay busy with public appearances and their radio program heard on The Gospel Station Network’s twenty stations. More information on them can be found at coffeetimewithandyandrenie.com. 

Sponsored by Premier Coatings, Montgomery, AL at (334) 288-3351. Podcasts available at Coffeetimecolumn.com. Send any responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com.