I read a story a few years ago now of a boy who went to the grocery store with his dad to get a few things.
After shopping and paying for the groceries at the checkout counter, the owner of the store who had a large jar of candy right next to the checkout computer saw the little boy and asked him to grab a handful of sweets from the jar for free.
The boy stood looking up at his dad. His dad gave him the nod to grab some, but he still stood there, staring at his dad.
After a few moments of awkward silence, the dad, with one hand carrying the groceries and the other hand free, reached for the jar and took a handful of candy for his son who had been quiet all through.
When they stepped out, he noticed his sons mood had suddenly become lighter with loads of smiles as he took one of the candy his dad had picked out. His dad turned and asked him why he didn’t take the candy when the shop owner asked him to and the boy replied saying “your hand is bigger than mine”.
I smiled reading that story, it made me see the boy as one who was so aware of himself and his father and both their capabilities. He could’ve carried the candy himself but he knew that if daddy carried it, he would have more. Very witty for a young boy like him I would say.
I sat thinking of that story today and it made me see that the boy and his father could easily represent us and God who is our father. The shop owner being the world, urging us to reach out and take and take and take; The achievements, the accolades, the awards, and just all the fine things of this life.
I imagine most of us reaching out to grab them all as fast as we can, without even looking out for the affirming nod of our dad or waiting for him to reach out himself and give to us, knowing that our Father “has a bigger hand”.
It brought me to a sobering moment of realisation that God will only sustain what He has given to us and not what we’ve gone out to fight for or grab without His approval. God is only committed to what He has authored and the moment we reach out against His authoring or desire for us, we might succeed and indeed get some sweets, but it’ll never be compared to the quantity or quality that we’d have gotten if our father gave us with His bigger hand.
Jesus prayed concerning us to God the father that “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me…” John 17:12a
Jesus was only able to do all He did by the name God gave Him. Like Jesus, we will do so much more if we’re patient for the father to give us and not be in a rat race to use our little hands to accumulate for ourselves.
I pray we’re never deceived into thinking that what we get for ourselves will ever be better than what Abba gets for us.
This shouldn’t inspire or validate passivity in receiving from God, it should only challenge us to take and receive as the Father leads us and not as our flesh leads us.
His hand is way bigger.
fochwoman 
This is an amazing modern day parable, with your own explanation thrown in! God only supports what He creates; what we create ourselves isn’t under His warranty. You are very wise, with God’s help, for a young person. Keep writing and sharing wonderful thoughts like these!
Blessings.
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I’m so glad this lesson echoes with you too David, and thank you so much, indeed all by Gods help, of which I am so grateful for.
Thanks for all your encouragement. Have an awesome week ahead x
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Wow. I find this illustration so profound. Thank you so much for sharing. 💗
I also see this as a lesson about waiting. If the boy took it himself he’ll have started licking it before he got out to take his father’s own. While the boy’s distance was few seconds some people’s own will take way longer. The Bible is replete with examples of people who waited. Abraham’s was 25, Joseph’s was 13, Anna’s was circa 50. We at the bride of Christ are waiting for his return. So like that boy, we all waiting on daddy for something.
And for some ‘sweet’ that might never come, we’ll trust him anyways because without the ‘sweet’ Daddy is still enough for us because he’s is ‘sweetness’ personified- the one who can meet our heart desires.
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This is so refreshing to read Deborah,
Thank you for highlighting the lesson on waiting too. Indeed were all looking up to daddy and waiting for something.
And yesss to that that final part, I read that and remembered Hebrews 11:13 – “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.”
Hebrews 11:13
Our heroes of faith also waited like us, some even to the point of death without seeing the promise, but they waited regardless, in faith!
God will help us to stay with the sweet from His presence alone, before even the sweet of all that could come from that presence.
Amen x
Thank you so much for reading and engaging x
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This was so amazing to read. The boy truly is very witty. The part you spoke about God only committing to the things He gives us reminds me of when the Bible referred to Isaac as Abraham’s only son despite having Ishmael. It was because that’s the one heaven recognized, the one God promised. Honestly I pray for myself as well that I’d choose to wait for the things God will give me not the ones my flesh wants. Thank you so much for sharing. Everything you share is always always on my heart
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This was so warm to read Ibukun ❤️
I’m so happy it echoed with you too, and the example you cited with Abraham! 🔥
Indeed that’s a perfect example of God committing to what He has given and not what we’ve gotten by our flesh!
God will help us, I’m so convinced of it.
Thank you for reading and engaging x
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