Children provide a great deal of entertainment — even when they are being absolutely serious and horrified about something. It behooves me to contain my laughter when my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter shakes her finger or stomps her foot in indignation.

Last evening was classic. She and her sister had spent the day with their Nana and Papa while I gadded about with my oldest daughter who celebrated her birthday on Twosday, 2/22/22. We enjoyed time at the beach and a delightful dinner in a Italian restaurant after which we gathered the girls and returned home. Harper, the youngest, went into the bedroom and stopped abruptly, putting her hands on her hips. She turned to me and said, “Grandma! Come here!”

I quickly went into see what was the matter. She pointed indignantly at her bed and asked, “Who did that?” Piled on her bed were all the pillows from the queen bed plus some making it impossible for her to lay down or find her stuffies and blanket. I immediately said I didn’t know. She pursued her mother, asking her the same pointed question. Emily quietly said, “I think I did that.”

Harper didn’t miss a beat and looked at her with all the disgust she could muster and said, “Mom! Are you serious?”

“Yeah!” Emily responded. Completely serious, Harper said, “Mom! You’re rude!”

We held it together but have laughed more than once about that today.

I imagine God feels the same way at times. We see life and what we think we can do or what others can do and we believe we understand the whole picture. This is what scripture says.

¹Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? ²The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one. ³“Let us break their chains,” they cry, “and free ourselves from slavery to God.” ⁴But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.

Psalm 2:1-4

¹³But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming.

Psalm 37:13

When my grandchildren make me laugh, I don’t laugh at them in a malicious way. I don’t think the Lord is laughing at us maliciously either. Just as my adult perspective finds humor in children’s indignation, he sees the futility of our human plans and plots. He knows we aren’t seeing the whole picture and our indignation is often misplaced.

Trust today that God sees the whole picture. If something seems well planned against you, remember God just might be shaking his head and laughing at those well laid plans. He knows the end of all things. Rest in him and, maybe, just maybe, laugh at yourself today.