The joy of forgiveness

As she played hopscotch on the paved ground one morning, a little girl accidentally knocked over her mother's favorite outdoor flower vase. It cracked upon impact, and the girl's heart sank. Her mother had warned her many times to stay away from the vase while playing, but in the excitement of the game, she had gotten too close.

"Oh no, Mum is going to be so disappointed," she thought, feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. She tried to gather the pieces, but it was clear that the vase was beyond repair.

Taking a deep breath, the little girl mustered up the courage to face her mother. She walked back into the house, tears welling up in her eyes. "Mummy, I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling.

Her mother was concerned. "What happened, honey?" she asked.

The little girl sniffled, trying to hold back tears. "The flower pot you really like is broken," she said, more tears streaming down her face.

Her mother was visibly disappointed, but she took a moment to collect herself before responding. She then opened her arms and enveloped her daughter in a warm hug. "It's okay, princess," she said painfully, because she really loved that flower pot.

As they hugged, the mother decided to use this moment to teach her daughter a bigger lesson about forgiveness. "It's always nice to say sorry when we do something wrong," she explained. "I also make mistakes sometimes, and I have to say sorry."

The little girl looked up at her mother in surprise. "Mum, I thought you never made mistakes! You always do everything well!" she exclaimed, her voice still raspy from crying.

Her mother smiled. "Oh, I do make mistakes sometimes, and when I do, I say sorry to God first. Saying sorry to God is called repenting. And the Good News is, God is always willing to forgive us whenever we repent. It is also God that helps us learn how to forgive others like the way I have been able to forgive you right now, honey."

"Thanks mum"

They continued to hug, the little girl feeling a sense of relief and comfort in her mother's love and forgiveness.