learning not to trust everybody

My grandchildren live with me. Lily is almost five months old. She has rubbery legs which are always kicking, and eyes bluer and rounder, larger than you expect. Her dark hair is wavy now that's it nearly long enough to cover her ears. She has an older brother, Lucian, who is over three and study on his legs which are always running, everywhere, down the hall, through the kitchen, and even to bed. Mostly he has been very gentle and kind to her and she is smitten with him and can watch him with his colorful Jedi sword for hours. She coos and chortles and laughs when he pops back around the corner of the kitchen, after hiding from her. But today, left a lone for a few moments, he, angry at her fussing, did something to her, hit her or pinched her, and she cried that angry, hurt, startled cry. Red faced,howling that someone she loved had mistreated her.

She finally was comforted. But she was wary now of her brother at the supper table. And he was ashamed, and not very happy, not his usually, chirpy, bubbly self. In time, they will work out their peace. But for me watching, it was the serpent in the garden. A reminder that we live in a fallen world where we are disappointed and worse, where we disappoint others.

How wonderful it is that a solution has been found. God comes to rescue us from our falleness and to restore us in our relationships to Him and to others through the sacrifice of His son on our behalf. And He brings us the vision of a world that has been restored, every bit of it. From the ecology, to its institutions of civilization and to the arts and culture. All of it redeemed. One day we will see that "peaceable kingdom" where the lion lies down and sleeps between the paws of the lion, and a little child like Lily will lead the wild beasts like Lucian plays with Margit's retriever. Trust is restored. May that day come quickly.