head

side

 

  

Dillion’s Discovery

by

Rebecca Somoskey

 

Dillion drew his arm back and slammed his fist into the pillow with all his twelve-year-old strength. “Why do you always have to hang out with your red neck buddies when Mom and I need you with us?” he muttered.

He punched his pillow again. “Why did you miss my first all star game just to go fishing with them.” Dillion caught his breath and let out a deep sob.

Tears streamed down his face as he threw the next punch. “We’ve prayed and prayed for you and begged you to go to church with us. You just laugh and say you don’t need God. Now Mom needs you at the hospital with her and you’re not here.” Dillion moaned and fell onto the bed, then cried into his pillow until there were no more tears left.

“Oh, Dad, I’m sorry. I love you,” he was finally able to whisper. Then he added. “God, I’m sorry. Mom says just keep on praying, but there are no more prayers left in me.”

Dillion lay quiet for a few minutes, then sat up. “Well, there’s nothing I can do about Dad, but I don’t have to lay here and think about it. He wiped his nose and eyes on the tail of his shirt and went to find Grandpa.

Grandpa was working out at the beehives. To Dillion he looked like some kind of spaceman in his veiled safari hat and coveralls stuffed down into his boots. A small grin brushed his face as he watched. “Aren’t you hot wearing all those clothes in this July heat?” he called.

“This super full of sourwood honey that’s about ready to be harvested is worth the suffering,” Grandpa called back. “You want to come have a taste while I have the cover off?”

A little honey might sweeten up his spirit, Dillion decided. “Sure, but I need a space suit like yours.”
“Out in the shed.” Grandpa pointed. “Use Grandma’s. It’s hanging just inside the door.”

A few minutes later Dillion, clad in a suit just like Grandpa’s, eased toward the hive. Perspiration began to roll down his neck but it wasn’t just from the heavy clothing. The thought of getting stung made him catch his breath. When he was about ten feet away a small swarm of bees dove at his head. He yelled and scrambled backward.

“They can’t hurt you, son,” Grandpa called. “You have on the proper gear, so don’t think about the sting, think about the honey. Now, ease back over here slowly. The taste of the honey is worth the risk.”

After two more tries, Dillion stood next to Grandpa and licked the sweet honey off his fingers. The bees had settled down and he could breathe again. “M-m-m, good,” he said, then asked, “Why is it called sourwood honey when it tastes so sweet?”

Grandpa pointed toward a tree standing at the edge of the woods. “See that tree over there? That’s a sourwood tree. Do you see anything different about it than the other trees.
Dillion studied the tree. “No, looks the same to me.”
“Look closer.” Grandpa said. “See those clusters of flowers among the leaves?”

Sure enough, on the outer edge of the branches were bunches of white flowers. “I see,” he said. 

“God has given bees a special instinct.” Grandpa explained. “Bees know that in that little white blossom on the sourwood tree is nectar. When taken through their unique processing system it will make some of the finest honey in the world. They see only the sweet, not the sour.”

“Cool, ” Dillion said. 

Grandpa continued. “God is like these bees. He sees the sweet that is inside of everyone and seeks to take him through His salvation plan to bring out that sweetness. Salvation is God’s unique procession system.”

“Wow!” Dillion exclaimed. “I never thought about God like that.”

Later Dillion lay in bed and thought about the bees and what Grandpa had said. Don’t think about the sting, think about the honey. Bees see only the sweet, not the sour. God is like these bees. Could God really see something worth saving in his dad? Yes, He could. Didn’t the Bible say that even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us?

He jumped up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. All the hurt his Dad had caused were just like those bee stings. Could he think about the honey and not the sting in his Dad? Yes! He thought about all the sweet things his dad had done. He wouldn’t have made the all star team if his dad hadn’t spent time playing catcher while he practiced his fast ball. And they would never have had their neat house if his dad hadn’t built it, “Just the way you want it sweetheart” he’d said to Mom. Those were just some of the good things.

“Dad,” he felt like shouting. “There are a lot more sweet things inside you. And God can save you and bring all that honey to the outside.”

Dillion bowed his head and prayed once more. “Dear God, Help me not to think about the stings. Help me think about the honey. . . . . . .

To Think About: Do you or someone you know have a problem like Dillion? Instead of being angry with his dad what did Dillion decide to do?

To Remember: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 (NKJV)

To Pray: Dear God, please help me to never give up praying for those I love who need your salvation. Amen

 

 

  Come back and see us!