Peas Please


Grumps and I were keeping the kids while the parents were taking a well-deserved break for a couple of days. We would be celebrating New Years with the children and we needed to devise a behavior plan. Each started off with one pea and they would either earn peas for good behavior or have them taken away when they didn't mind.

Peas were earned for showering and getting ready for bed first, for turning off the Xbox when told, for showing appreciation for something nice, even for sticking with us like glue. Peas were taken away when they couldn't get along or didn't follow instructions.
The system worked because everyone wanted the prize.

Most people think that God operates that way with rewards and debits for our behavior and if we have enough rewards at the end of our lives, then we get to go to heaven, the ultimate reward. But I'm so glad I don't have to collect peas or anything else to earn God's favor.
There is no ledger sheet or collection jar, just grace provided by the blood of Jesus which makes us want to make the right choices, say the right things and do the right things.

Ephesians 2;8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.

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