“Mommy, I’m stuck!” cried a tearful toddler from across the room. But this time I wasn’t rushing to his side. He (and I) had a lesson to learn in disobedience.

It was an evening like any other when I caught my energetic, determined toddler climbing into his baby sister’s activity center for the tenth time of the day. Despite my repeated correction, he loved the thrill of this new adventure and would sneak past me to do it again.

This time, he fully wedged his legs into one hole of the center. He was really stuck. I was about to rescue him (again) when my husband Mason prompted, “Just leave him in there. He needs to learn.”

I watched him squirm and push to try to free himself from the contraption. He was still laughing at this point–so proud and having fun doing something he knew he wasn’t supposed to. But it only took a minute or two before I saw him start to panic. He knew he couldn’t get himself out and he saw we weren’t coming to his rescue.

Dinner was ready, so the rest of us sat down to eat all while he chimed, “Mommy, help Micah! I’m stuck!” It took everything in me not to run over at his first request. We waited another minute before Mason patiently went over and fetched our frustrated toddler.

As Mason guided him out of the center and wrapped him in his strong arms, I will never forget the words he said.

“Micah, you disobeyed Mommy and Daddy. We asked you not to climb in there and you did it anyways. Then you got stuck. This is just like our sin. Disobedience feels fun at first, but then we get stuck and can’t rescue ourselves. That’s why God sent Jesus to rescue us, just like I’m rescuing you right now. That’s called grace.”

Micah probably won’t remember that moment or the powerful truths behind what his dad shared, but I will.

Oh how easily we all get stuck in the trap of sin! Oh how weak we all are without the strong arms and the rescuing hands of our Heavenly Father. May we never forget His grace.