When Our Children See Our Delight
Several years ago, as I sat in the orchestra pit watching a performance of Mary Evelyn’s play about George Müller, I looked to stage right at a scene in a carpenter shop. The scene involved the carpenter, members of his family, and Mrs. Bickle and her daughter. The Bickles were snooty rich folks who cared more about how the noise level at George Müller’s Orphan House affected them than about the precious children inside.
Mary Evelyn created the role of Mrs. Bickle to teach, but also to provide comic relief in the play, and she chose sweet Maddi to play the role, knowing she would do a wonderful job.
From my unusual angle, I could see both the scene and a few playgoers in the front rows. Among them were Maddi’s parents who were sitting as close to the stage as anyone could. At that moment, it was as much fun to watch them as it was to watch her.
Their upturned faces displayed pure and unbounded joy. Their smiles were brilliant. Both mama and daddy exuded delight in their daughter and her performance onstage.
May our children see delight in our faces again and again and again. When we do that for them, we are following the example of how our heavenly Father treated His only begotten Son. Years after the apostle Peter heard God express His delight in Jesus, he recounted the story to “those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours” (2 Peter 1:1).
For we did not follow
cleverly devised tales
when we made known to you
the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we were eyewitnesses
of His majesty.
For when He received honor
and glory from God the Father,
such an utterance as this
was made to Him
by the Majestic Glory,
“This is My beloved Son
with whom I am well-pleased”—
and we ourselves heard this
utterance made from heaven
when we were with Him
on the holy mountain.
2 Peter 1:16-18