The Tooth Fairy, Teacher Disappointment And The Israelites

So Rachel lost another tooth last night and very excitedly announced she was going to write the Tooth Fairy a letter. Since this sounded like a bad idea I asked why. And she said, very matter-of-factly, that she wanted a house for her Zhu-Zhu pet (the prize she received from the Tooth Fairy for her first lost tooth). "Duh mom!" I could sense the disappointment headed towards our house. So she wrote her letter. She set out her tooth and letter and she went to sleep, in full confidence that her wish would be granted.

This morning we woke to a very sad Rachel. She sat dejectedly holding a gold coin in one hand and the letter in the other. All she would say was, "She didn't get me the house! I just got this coin...what happened?" So we read her the letter that said that the tooth fairy was too small to carry toys to each child who lost a tooth and that she hoped the coin would help in getting the house she wanted. My, isn't disappointment a brutal teacher.

Rachel could have cared less that the tooth fairy actually came. Or that she got a gold coin. She was too focused on the disappointment of what she didn't have. Which reminds me of the Israelites. Wandering through the desert. Complaining. Grumbling. They were not focused on the fact that they got to see, every day! a visible sign of the invisible God in a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. They were disappointed that life wasn't easy. Why couldn't God continue performing the same great miracles He did to get them out of Egypt? Where was the food? Where was the water? If He could send plagues and part waters, why did they have to keep wandering around? Totally missing His presence. His continual presence that was leading and guiding them, step by step. Just as Rachel quickly set the standard for the Tooth Fairy on what happened at the first, so the Israelites wanted continual pomp and flair and feathers. (well, maybe not the feathers). It wasn't enough that He was there...they wanted more.

Both Rachel and the Israelites missed the real gift, the blessing. The blessing is God. It's Him. He's the gift. His presence. His love. (SOOOO not comparing the Tooth Fairy to God. Please don't have that as your takeaway.) I wonder, friends. Have you asked God to bless you and then waited for some material ease and luxury to happen your way? Did it come? (Sometimes He gives us that too!) Did you sense His presence in the midst of it? Or did you miss the best part of the blessing? If our prayer is "blessing" and we're disappointed because we have not received what we thought we asked for....perhaps its because what God is blessing us with is Himself. And that's the best blessing of all.