Broccoli Soup

Daniel 2:21-22 – He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. (NIV)

"Never hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk." This was one of the statements on an e-mail list containing "great truths children have learned", and it reminded me of something in my own childhood. On my seventh birthday, my mother took me to the city and admitted me to the children's floor of the General Hospital. During the following year, I spent several months behind bars. In those days, children my age were put in large metal cribs, and once the nurse pulled up the sides of the crib, the bed felt like a prison. However, the "prison" was only one problem. Hospital food soon became an issue, for no matter how well the staff presented the meal, it wasn't prepared the way my mother made it at home.

One of my most memorable challenges — when it came to food, that is — came on one of those nights when we were served a creamy broccoli soup, eggs for our main meal, and ice cream for dessert. Even the preppie nurses in their striped dresses with the white-bibbed aprons had learned the rule, "You have to eat your supper before you can have dessert." The only problem was that I didn't like milk, and eggs made me sick. I eyed the ice cream — soon it would be melting. I had no choice, so I picked up the egg and threw it into the soup, then ate the ice cream. All was well, until the nurse came back to pick up my tray. She immediately recognized the bits of egg floating in the soup, and I wasn't able to hide my actions.

I wonder how many of us have been tempted to try to hide or cover up a wrongdoing in a similar fashion. Perhaps Satan has lulled us into thinking that no one will ever find out, but God knows. He sees what we are trying to hide. He sees the "egg" in our soup. Instead of trying to cover up our mistakes and wrongdoings, let us go to Him, ask His forgiveness, and receive His pardon.

Prayer: Dear God, forgive us when we try to hide our sins from You. Remind us of Your love and Your forgiveness. Amen.

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