Charlie's "Good Grief"

A few minutes ago, I determined to don my bright yellow t-shirt and go talk to our schoolkids about Charlie Brown. Specifically, we're talking about the school's theme verse for the year, Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you.

...and I've taken today's chapel service earlier in the letter to the Ephesians to verses 30 and 31:

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.


I think that I got the concept of 'grief' across, and how so many things that we do on a daily basis can easily grieve God. Specifically, I related our willingness to make grief to Lucy and her habit of pulling away the football from the kick of our determined hero.

"Good Grief"

And yet, there's very little about this sort of grief that can be described as 'good'.


All the ways that we try to please God, and then we pull away the football and completely botch up the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to use us... We're bitter, we're angry, we gossip, etc.

The only thing good about the whole situation is God's determined way of keeping at us.

Funny how Charlie Brown always seems to go back for more. You just know that one of these times things are going to work out and he's going to kick the ball to the heavens...


And God won't give up either.

In fact, He's already succeeded.

I encourage you to find an Advent midweek service tonight and go hear about it!





...