Remember the Duck

In Will Daylight Come?, Richard Hoefler tells about a young boy named Johnny who was visiting his grandparents. They gave him a slingshot, and he spent the morning practicing in the woods, but he couldn't hit a thing.

On his way back to the house, he spotted Grandma's pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let the rock fly. For the first time all day, he hit his target. The duck fell dead.

Johnny panicked. He hid the duck in the woodpile—and then looked up to see his sister Sally watching. She had seen it all. But she said nothing.

After lunch, Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes." And Sally said, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn't you, Johnny?" Then she leaned over and whispered, "Remember the duck!" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally smiled. "That's all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it." And again she whispered, "Remember the duck." So Sally went fishing, and Johnny stayed home.

After several days of doing his chores and Sally's, Johnny couldn't stand it anymore. He went to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.

"I know, Johnny," she said, and she gave him a hug. "I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I just wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Now, Sally sounds like she belongs in the mafia! But there's something true in this story.

Sometimes we let our past make slaves of us. We carry old guilt around for years. We let it boss us, shame us, even define us. And somewhere inside, a voice keeps whispering, "Remember the duck."

But notice whose voice that is. It isn't Grandma's. She saw everything from the window. She had already forgiven him. All that time, Johnny was working off a debt that had already been paid.

Paul put it this way: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

No condemnation. Not after you've done enough dishes. Now.

Maybe there's something from your past that you've been carrying for far too long. Something you've confessed. Something you've made amends for. Something God has already forgiven… but you haven't quite forgiven yourself.

You don't have to keep paying a debt that Christ has already paid.

Prayer: Gracious God, you have seen it all, and you love us still. We bring you our past mistakes and failures. Silence the voices that keep us bound. Help us receive your forgiveness, make amends where we can, and rest free in your grace. Amen.

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