A little real-life parable

 Here's our true story from going to church yesterday....

Martha has not been taking the move well, and she has pretty much turned into a ball of anxiety who hides from everything. Well, going to church, something happened that made her mad (as always, nobody can remember what it was any more.) She was mad before we got in the car, but she got in...then decided she wasn't going to go to church. She tried to climb out of the car while we were driving, she was so mad! We parked about 2 blocks away from the church, and I pulled her out of the car and walked her down the street while calmly and friendly-like encouraging her to calm down - sort of a mix of good cop and bad cop at the same time, ha ha. :) My goal was to get her in the church building, and then we could go sit on the couch together or whatever until she calmed down, but at least I could take the sacrament. 

But as we were walking, a woman coming from the church building passed us, and without missing a beat, said to Martha in the most friendly voice, "Oh, are you going to church? I'm just coming from church. I have this box of candies (milk duds) that I don't need any more - it looks like there's just enough for you and your siblings. Would you like to take them to church with you and share them?" Martha looked at her new friend in surprise, looked at Mom with hope, Mom offered a truce, and we all went to church happily with a little box of leftover milk duds. 

I thought of how Christ-like this sister was - literally. As the mom, I wasn't in a position to be able to offer mercy. Martha required some justice for her actions, and if I offered her candy or something to get her to go to church, that would definitely have been a bribe, and have sent the absolutely wrong message. But this stranger was able to mediate by offering something she had - which made both mother and daughter happy! It was a beautiful moment, and I wonder if this sweet sister, who just a couple of hours earlier had promised to take upon herself the name of Christ, had any idea just how Christ-like she had been that day.