The Cracked Flowerpot

Henry kicked a ball across the patio after Mother had asked him to play on the grass. The ball struck her flowerpot, and a long crack opened down the side. A little soil spilled onto the stones.

Henry turned the pot so the crack faced the wall. From the kitchen window, it looked nearly the same. He carried the ball away and tried to play, but he kept watching the back door.

When Mother came outside, Henry met her before she reached the patio. He told her that he had played where she asked him not to and that he had hidden the damage. He did not blame the ball or say the pot should have been somewhere else.

Mother was disappointed. The pot could not stay where someone might cut a hand on it. She gave Henry a small brush for the spilled soil while she moved the broken pieces safely. Together they put the plant into a spare pot.

Henry helped for the rest of the afternoon instead of returning to his game. The new pot did not erase what he had done, but telling the truth meant they could deal with the real problem.

God's Word tells us to confess and forsake sin. That means admitting our wrong and turning away from it. Henry put the ball on the grass the next time he played. His honest words were followed by a different choice.