“I Want My Fork!”

It was time for lunch, but Lillian’s fork was stuck in the dish drainer. Mommy couldn’t get it out. “Come, Lillian. It is time to sit down to eat,” Mommy said. “Here is another fork for you to use.”

“I want my fork!” Lillian said.

“I can’t get it out,” Mommy said. “It is really stuck. You will have to use another for right now.”

Lillian didn’t want to use another fork. She wanted her special fork. She frowned and didn’t move. “Time to smile and say, ‘yes, Mommy,’” Mommy said.

Lillian looked at the dish drainer stacked with dishes. She looked at the fork in Mommy’s hands. At last Lillian said, “Yes, Mommy.” She gave a little smile and sat down to eat.

When it was time for bed, Mommy sat beside Lillian’s bed and sang her a song. “Humble yourself, and the Lord will draw near you. Humble yourself and His presence will cheer you,” Mommy sang.

“Mommy, what does ‘humble’ mean?” Lillian asked suddenly.

“Remember when your fork was stuck in the drainer and you weren’t happy about it?” Mommy said. “When you took the other fork I gave you, you humbled yourself. You were saying ‘yes, Mommy’ inside. Then you were happy.”

Lillian smiled and snuggled with her bunny. Mommy continued singing softly, “He will not walk with the proud or the scornful; humble yourself to walk with God.”

“Mommy,” Lillian whispered, “what does ‘proud’ mean?”

Mommy smiled. “It means that you want your own way, like saying, ‘I want my fork!’ and not being happy without it.”

“Mm-hmm,” agreed Lillian.

Mommy kissed her and said, “Nightie-night!”

—Lillian, age 3, and her mommy