There was once a small boy who was consistently late coming home from school. His parents warned him one day that he must be home on time that afternoon, but nevertheless he arrived later than ever.
His mother met him at the door and said nothing. At dinner that night, the boy looked at his plate. There was a slice of bread and a glass of water. He looked at his father’s full plate and then at his father, but his father remained silent. The boy was crushed.
The father waited for the full impact to sink in, then quietly took the boy’s plate and placed it in front of himself. He took his own plate of meat and potatoes, put it in front of the boy, and smiled at his son.
When that boy grew to be a man, he said, “All my life I’ve known what God is like by what my father did that night.”
How is YOUR OWN idea of God and YOUR OWN relationship with God been reflected in the relationship YOU had with YOUR human father? How have YOU changed and grown in YOUR relationship with God over the years?
IF YOU WANT GOD TO CLOSE AND OPEN DOORS FOR YOU, THEN YOU HAVE TO LET GO OF THE DOOR KNOB!
My Commentary
This simple yet powerful story reveals a deep truth about the heart of God. The boy’s failure to obey and his consequent punishment—a plate with only bread and water—symbolizes the justice of God. Yet, justice is not the full story.
What happened next is a beautiful image of mercy and grace: the father silently exchanged plates, offering his son the meal meant for himself. In that exchange, the father absorbed the cost of the boy’s disobedience and extended unmerited kindness, reflecting the very nature of God’s grace.
In many ways, our relationship with God echoes this story. We often fall short, arrive late, and fail to meet expectations. But God, like the father, does not respond with condemnation, but with quiet, sacrificial love. He takes what we deserve and gives us what we could never earn — His grace, His mercy, His abundance.
Reflecting on our own fathers can help us understand aspects of God’s nature. Some of us may have experienced a father’s love that mirrored God’s patience, sacrifice, and forgiveness. Others may have struggled with a more distant or imperfect father. But even in those cases, God often fills the gaps, revealing Himself as the Father who never fails, who always forgives, and who continuously invites us into a deeper relationship with Him.
Over the years, as we grow and mature, our understanding of God often deepens. As children, we may see God primarily as rule-giver or judge. As adults, through life’s trials and mercies, we come to know God more as a compassionate Father who, like the man in the story, quietly takes our burdens and exchanges our emptiness for His fullness.
The closing statement is also profound:
“If you want God to close and open doors for you, then you have to let go of the door knob.”
Surrender is the key. As long as we cling to control, we resist His providence. True faith is trusting God enough to release our grip and allow God to open or close the doors that are best for us.
My Prayer Reflection
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for loving me even when I fail, for exchanging my plate of emptiness for Your plate of abundance. Like the father in the story, You do not meet my failures with harsh words, but with quiet acts of grace that change my heart.
Lord, as I look back on my life, I see how my understanding of You has grown. In my youth, I often saw You as distant or demanding. But through my struggles, You have revealed Yourself as merciful, patient, and kind. Your love has never wavered, even when I was late or disobedient.
Help me, Lord, to surrender control — to let go of the door knob. Teach me to trust that Your timing is better than mine, that Your plans are higher than my own. Close the doors that need to be closed, and open the ones that lead me closer to You.
Thank You for being the perfect Father — always present, always forgiving, always loving. May my life reflect the grace You have so freely given me.
Amen.
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