God Delights in RIGHT Behavior

I'm excited to share (pass along) a story from someone precious to me. 

Her name is Vivi.  I skype with her every Saturday morning and we share what's great, as well as what's not so great, with each other.  I know she thinks I'm encouraging her (I'm old enough to be her mom) but I must share that her life and her observations encourage me in GREAT ways!


Vivi is studying at University in Germany to be a physical therapist.  She is learning about proper movement and motion and the RIGHT use of muscles, etc.

Last Saturday she told this story:

Vivi said that she's been spending some time in a children's hospital observing children whose illnesses have taken away the ability for them to move properly. 

After much observation, she shared that she had become a bit weary and discouraged watching these children try to navigate.

Then, in an unusual turn of events. she was asked to babysit a visiting sibling of a child who was ill while that child was taken from their room for testing.  So, she sat and watched and played with the healthy sibling.

She shared with me that she found herself DELIGHTING in the movements of the healthy child.  She had been watching so many children who could not move in age-appropriate ways, that watching this healthy child made her heart soar and put a sweet smile on her face.  (She didn't say "sweet smile"; I added that because Vivi's smile is one of the sweetest I've seen).

It was in that moment, Vivi shared, that she realized a tiny bit of the DELIGHT that God, our Father, feels when He watches us move in a RIGHT way, free from sin.  She felt excited and joyous at the thought that our RIGHT moves could DELIGHT God in much the way OR MORE than she felt watching the healthy child.

Here's the thing:   Sin corrupts our RIGHT movements just as illness corrupts the movements of the children Vivi was observing in that hospital.  And God's heart is grieved when our movements are corrupted by sin. 

What's important?  The children in that hospital did not choose their illness.  They would NOT choose their illness.  They have no choice.  But WE HAVE A CHOICE!  We can choose to walk away from sin, accept the healing protection that a life with Jesus offers, and begin to move in a RIGHT way. 

And we'll feel the joyous DELIGHT of God.