“What is that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2a New International Version)
One adult, whether in gest or just remembering an object, participative lesson that his father used with his siblings and him, told me that if his children ever start to complain about “not having nuthin,” he would apply the same lesson that was used on him so his children would focus on being thankful for every blessing, especially those that they did not have to pay for, not even a cent.
He stated that he was going to have his children hold out their hand, and then he would ask them, “What is that in your hand.” He predicted that their answer would be the same as the one he gave when he was a child, “Nuthin.” After hearing their quick response, he would quickly tell them to put their hands down to their sides, raise them back up, stick them out, and open them up again. Next, just as he experienced or shall we say “endured” the same teaching technique as a child, he said that he would put a penny in each of their hands. Again, he would ask them, “What is that in your hand?” Again, remembering how the same question, when posed by father, he speculated that they would say, “A penny!” That’s exactly what they did as their faces communicated that they didn’t get it. Aha! Now, the father said, “This will be the perfect time for the coup de gras, the kayo, knockout answer!”
“No! It’s not a pen-ny, but it is a bless-ing plen-ty! For at first, you had nothing. Now, you have something!” The father said, “I will then ask one more question, and it would not be a rhetorical question either!” He explains that he will present an inquiry and only proceed to walk away after they had answered him, hopefully with the correct answer. He said, “I will want to make sure they learned the lesson; ensure that they got the point.” Yes, the father would require a satisfactory answer, even if it was just echoing what he had said about the penny in their hands being a blessing. Sharing from his childhood past, the father reported on how he answered the question, “Where I had nothing, I have something in my hand. I should be thankful.” He was hoping, whenever he had the opportunity to use the technique passed down from his father, that his children would realize how blessed they are as children.
I thought for a moment and realized that this is not just a children teaching technique, but it is also a great method for teaching adults who don’t recognize the “blessings” that are in their hands, or even if they are like Moses, and they do not recognize that with the Lord on their side and that our exceptions and our excuses should be expeditiously ousted, eliminated and replaced by increasing confidence that we can do what the Lord ask of us.
Well, it’s Saturday! Enjoy your weekend! But don’t wait until tomorrow to express your gratefulness to God! Don’t wait until you get into the sanctuary and act like that is the only space reserved for thanking God for all the many ways that He has blessed you! Yes! You have something “in your hand too!” What do you have? Blessings from the Lord: a new day, another breath, food on your table, a reasonable portion of health and strength, the activity of some or all of your limbs, and much more, but at the top of the list would be the blessing of the Lord’s grace and mercy! Praise God for your blessings today! Furthermore, be determined at this very moment that you will declare your gratefulness in the sanctuary tomorrow in the assembly of the saints and the special presence of the Lord!
For you see, the word will be preached tomorrow! Yes, tomorrow you will be equipped further so that you can live in a way that pleases the Lord on a continuous basis! Now, if you don’t think hearing the preached word is a great blessing, read the closing verse found in the word of God! Be blessed!
“But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28 English Standard Version)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King