Last week I bought my youngest a small Lego minifigure pack while grocery shopping. The little guy had memorized the “continent rap” and was required to recite it in front of his classmates. Knowing his intense struggle with anxiety, especially when “on the spot”, I felt led to buy him this tiny gift to celebrate his courage. This crazy little pack, valued at $2.99, is filled with a surprise. You don’t know exactly which minifigure will be in the packet {there are eight possibilities}.

As soon as I got home-I tucked the packet into my back pocket and began engaging him in the “surprise.” Before long he had reached around and pulled the packet out. With great eagerness he cut into the packet. No more had he opened the pack–then the tears began. Fall apart crying ensued.

To my little guy the surprise was more like a prank. The minifigure was…wait for it…a GIRL of all things!

Through his sobbing-he requested that I take it back and exchange the “surprise”/prank for something he’d like. Insert pin into my happy mom balloon. I was completely DEFLATED. I knew I needed to measure each word of my response, but first I needed to gather myself. For goodness sake, I had so much excitement wrapped into this little “gift.” I just KNEW he’d love it {hello pride}.

Deciding to scrap my first idea of a lengthy lecture on gratitude, I breathed in God’s unending grace. How many times had I turned my nose up at gifts God specifically placed in my life? Maybe you can relate.

The gift of mercy He gave when what I really wanted was the gift of song. Or what about the gift of forgiveness when I preferred to hold a grudge?

I bent my knee, put my arm around him, and suggested he ditch the Lego “girl” hair and color the pink Lego skates with my best sharpie. He didn’t take to the idea right away, but after a while he came around. I didn’t go and buy another gift, I just did my best to help him receive the gift with an adjusted perspective and grace.

There’s the lesson, friends. When a gift fails to be received as such, the joy is gone. Oh how I want to posture myself  to receive with a gracious spirit.

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:4-8