A friend recently told me about how she used to tell her daughter “If I let you do that I will get my mom license revoked.” Moms, can you imagine if this was a thing? What if we actually had a license that could get revoked? I don’t know about you, but I’d be in big trouble. Really big trouble.
The moment Cindy brought up this idea my mind whipped straight to a moment when my oldest son was in third grade. I was at work when I looked down and noticed that I had four missed calls. All of them from his school. As I picked up my phone, I then noticed the time. It was fifteen minutes after the time I was supposed to pick him up. I panicked and rushed to the school to find my sweet little third grader sitting outside on the bench.
The moment he got in the car I grabbed him and began my plea for forgiveness. After about the seventh time I asked him to forgive me, he finally said. “Mom, it’s fine. You were just saving the world.” I looked at him with confusion, and he smiled and began telling me about the conversation he had with the teacher who had to stay behind with him.
She had asked him what I did for a living. He told me that when she found out I was a pastor she said, and I quote, “Well I guess your mom is a good pastor and is out there saving the world instead of picking you up!” I am not sure if her tone was laced with sarcasm or not, but I can only imagine it was dripping with it.
I was silent. I was angry at myself. I never wanted my boys to believe that the church was more important than they were. So with a strange pride I said to him, “I am not a good pastor; I am a bad mom.” He was shocked. I needed him to know that I had made a mistake. It had nothing to do with saving the world and everything to do with me making a mistake. I needed him to know I will continue to make mistakes and I will continue to ask for forgiveness. I will do my best to be a great mom, but I will have moments when that’s just not the case. And sure enough, I was right! I’ve made many mistakes since then and will make more. I am sure of it. That event happened ten years ago. I still remember it. I hope he doesn’t.
I am so thankful we do not have a license that can be revoked for these mistakes. I am even more thankful for a truth I find in John 21. This chapter reflects on one of my favorite Jesus moments. At this point in the story Peter has made some major mistakes. His “disciple license” should have been revoked for sure! We find him here after he did the unthinkable and denied Jesus. Not once, not twice, but three times. He betrayed his close friend and the one who he believed was the Messiah.
As this chapter begins, we find the disciples in the boat not catching anything. Jesus shows up, yet again, and tells them to throw their nets on the other side of the boat. When Peter sees Jesus, this happens.
John 21:7 – 9 ESV
7 That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. 9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.
Earlier, Peter had denied Jesus and then Jesus was murdered. Now we see Jesus here acting all chill and cooking them breakfast! I can’t even handle this moment! Jesus is saying something incredibly important here with this breakfast. His act of service is screaming I AM NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF GIVING UP ON YOU. Did you hear that, single mom? I put it in all caps so you could hear it! Jesus didn’t give up on Peter, and he isn’t going to give up on you! This means you can’t give up on yourself either. Your mom license will never be revoked. If you make a mistake, apologize. Keep moving forward. Read this Bible story to your children and explain to them you will never give up on them because Jesus isn’t giving up. He is not in the business of giving up and neither are we!
About Mel Hiett
Hi friends, I’m Mel Hiett. I like to believe that my nine years of being a single mom to two rowdy boys helped prepare me for Arise MInistries. Just in case raising those two wild boys wasn’t enough training God allowed me to work with teenagers in the local church for sixteen years. If nothing else I have a handful of wild stories and God moments to share with all of you. My husband Trae and I decided to make life more interesting in 2017 when we got married. Together we have five children, two dogs, and some chickens. We have a family group text affectionately named “The Zoo”. Please feel free to follow my adventures on Facebook or Instagram @themelymel.