Confession from a Two-Year Old

During lunchtime yesterday, I laid our cell phone on the kitchen table.  Within Mya's reach...and forgot about it.  Mya was nearly finished with her lunch, and I decided to venture back the hallway to our desk and computer.  I had just sat down when I heard her feet hit the floor (she has a way of always bouncing around...including when climbing down from her chair at the kitchen table).  Then came the pitter-patter sounds of her feet as she ran back the hallway to find me.  Our eyes met as she entered our office and she proclaimed, "I'm sorry, Mom."  My gut feeling: That's never a good thing for a two-year old to be saying.

A confession.

I asked her if she's okay.  What's wrong.  Told her to show me what happened.  We both made our way back down the hallway and into the kitchen.

Nothing was out of the ordinary.  No messy spill...a praise!  No diaper leaks...a praise!  No food scattered on the kitchen floor...another praise!  Why was she sorry then?  I was a bit puzzled and decided to ask her again why she apologized...to which she moved towards the cell phone and pointed.

I took the words right out of her mouth.

"Did you touch Mommy's phone?"  Her little head nodded in agreement.  I reminded her that this is not okay...that mommy and daddy want to be with her when she touches (aka attempts to "use") our cell phone.  But I also apologized to her.  It was not okay that I left that cell phone out...within her little arm's reach.  It shouldn't have been there to even tempt her.  She apologized, too, and we hugged.

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In all the times our busy, little two-year old has gotten herself into trouble...all those times were sort of erased from my mind...in that moment that she confessed.  I did not initiate it.  In fact, I didn't even know it happened...and probably never would have either...if she'd never told me.  I was proud of her.

I don't intend for this to sound like she's any different than other children...your child.  But I wanted to take this moment to reflect on how we, as adults, should take the time to confess to others, too.  Sometimes we KNOW we need to confess.  But there are times in our lives...similar to my situation with Mya...that you feel in your gut you should confess, even though the other person may have no idea at all...and they may never know...UNLESS you share with them.  Confession...specifically of sins...lifts a huge weight off of your shoulders.  It frees your mind.  Brings peace and a calmness.

I learned from Mya in this moment of her confessing to me.

I realized that no wrong-doing is ever too small to make right with the other person.  Now, I don't think we need to over-analyze every little detail of our day...of our lives.  But you know in your heart if there's something you need to make right with another person...with God.  Challenge yourself to take the step to make "right" any "wrongs" you've allowed to remain un-confessed in your life.  And remember to extend grace to those around you...and forgiveness, too...when someone comes to you and admits their wrong-doings.  What a blessing and feeling of restoration that takes place in our lives...in our hearts...when we take responsibility for our actions and do what's right heal broken relationships.

We have so much to learn from children.  Don't we?  Share your time(s) when a child taught you an important lesson in the "comments" section below.  We'd love to hear your stories.