I Wanna Be a Shot

On the way to summer school, I was having my usual morning conversation with my little ones. This particular day we were discussing dental hygiene, specifically cavities. My precious daughter started asking questions about the process of fixing cavities. I told her that the doctor will numb your gums with a shot first and then drill into the tooth. She asked me if the shot would hurt. I told her it would hurt, but it was necessary to keep you from feeling the drill. She then said to me, “Mommy, I wanna be a shot cuz a shot hurts everything, but nothing hurts it.” That struck me.

My daughter is terrified of shots. Her last well-child check-up was plagued with tears caused by anticipating a shot. The fact that she would want to be one tells me that she is starting to get a taste of what life can do to you. To her, a shot is invincible. Impenetrable. It was a hard statement for me to take as a mom.

She’s been dealing with an older child with anger problems who doesn’t keep her hands to herself. To date the child has punched her and slapped her in the face. I’m sure you can all imagine the self-control I’ve needed to use just to look at that girl each day without glowering. I admit that I haven’t been that successful. My daughter is dealing with looking different. Having different hair.

I guess sometimes Jesus is our shot. Sometimes He numbs the pain. Other times He simply takes the edge off and helps us get through the process. Like earthly parents, our heavenly Father cares about our hurts. At times He must sit back and allow us to learn a lesson. Other times He intervenes. But always He is there to hold us in the end.