A minor crisis has now been averted in our family. As anyone who has ever helped to raise kids or grandkids knows, sooner or later, the chances are that one of them is going to swallow a coin. Well, our time came yesterday, as one of our grandsons, aged two, managed to do just that!
His mother and father heard him choking, and by the time they ran over to him, it was too late. His four year old brother confirmed that he had just put a dime in his mouth. At this point, one parent called the doctor while the other set about googling what to do next. The consensus of all relevant authorities was simply to wait and see.
Apparently, this is fairly common event. It seems that small children are prone to explore much of the world around them with their sense of taste. Moreover, 90% of the time when this happens, the coin eventually makes its way through the body and exits completely intact, leaving its host no worse off for the experience.
Reassured, we all stilled ourselves and settled in for an anxious period of waiting until the matter was concluded. Inevitably, perhaps, in an attempt to relieve stress related to our situation, a round of witty banter soon began to unfold via group texts...
I actually began it with these words: “I always knew one of my grandsons would amount to something one day. But a measly 10 cents? For crying out loud!” I got one or two smiley face emojis in return. In short order, though, everyone else picked up the gauntlet, and began chiming in themselves…
A “Show me the money!” meme popped up. Then, a “Mister, can you spare a dime?” gif appeared. This was followed almost immediately by a whole succession of witty quips…
“I wouldn’t start worrying unless it came out as two nickels.”
“Of course, if he did snag himself a nickel, he could always open a five and ten cent store!”
“Who needs an ATM when you have a kid dispensing dimes?”
“Not to mention that no one can ever tell him he isn’t worth a dime!”
My personal favorite was this one: “At least having survived the Great Depression and the Second World War, Mr. Roosevelt won’t really be bothered by another day or two in the dark!”
The good news is that all’s well that ends well! I am happy to report that everything “came out” just fine “in the end”! My daughter reported today that the human piggy bank was now empty! More to the point, he was entirely oblivious to the whole affair!
A flood of relief washed over all concerned as we realized the danger had indeed passed. No doubt the whole episode will soon be forgotten. But it does raise a question or two.
You see, little children are not the only ones whose appetites can get them into trouble. The Apostle Paul warns us to be leery of those for whom “their god is their belly.” So, then, what’s in your mouth?! What’s on its way to your belly?! What is it that you either already have, or else are about to sample, and then swallow, that could do irreparable damage to you once ingested?
My little grandson isn’t the only one to be mistaken in thinking that sampling and swallowing a bright, shiny object was okay simply because it looked good! Trust me… a lot of adults have done the same thing in life!
Seeking satisfaction and fulfillment, people swallow not only material substances, but an entire assortment of other things as well… Fame, fortune, possessions, position, accomplishment, experience, authority, recognition, pleasure – the list is endless! So, be careful with such things. They may look appealing to the eye; but a belly full of them can have serious consequences!
A two year old can be given the benefit of the doubt for sampling and swallowing an inappropriate thing. After all, he does not know any better. But an adult is judged by a different standard. For this reason, if for no other, surely it behooves you and I to practice prudence, and to rise above a life lived merely in pursuit of the slaking of our appetites.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/philippians/3-19.htm.
NOTE: Billy Graham once told the story of Suzie, the prized ostrich at the Detroit Zoo. She died suddenly; and so an autopsy was performed to determine the cause. To everyone's amazement, over three and a half dollars in small change was found inside her stomach. Graham's concluding admonition was: "Money killed Suzie! Does money kill you?!" Source: James W. Cox, The Twentieth Century Pulpit (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981).
His mother and father heard him choking, and by the time they ran over to him, it was too late. His four year old brother confirmed that he had just put a dime in his mouth. At this point, one parent called the doctor while the other set about googling what to do next. The consensus of all relevant authorities was simply to wait and see.
Apparently, this is fairly common event. It seems that small children are prone to explore much of the world around them with their sense of taste. Moreover, 90% of the time when this happens, the coin eventually makes its way through the body and exits completely intact, leaving its host no worse off for the experience.
Reassured, we all stilled ourselves and settled in for an anxious period of waiting until the matter was concluded. Inevitably, perhaps, in an attempt to relieve stress related to our situation, a round of witty banter soon began to unfold via group texts...
I actually began it with these words: “I always knew one of my grandsons would amount to something one day. But a measly 10 cents? For crying out loud!” I got one or two smiley face emojis in return. In short order, though, everyone else picked up the gauntlet, and began chiming in themselves…
A “Show me the money!” meme popped up. Then, a “Mister, can you spare a dime?” gif appeared. This was followed almost immediately by a whole succession of witty quips…
“I wouldn’t start worrying unless it came out as two nickels.”
“Of course, if he did snag himself a nickel, he could always open a five and ten cent store!”
“Who needs an ATM when you have a kid dispensing dimes?”
“Not to mention that no one can ever tell him he isn’t worth a dime!”
My personal favorite was this one: “At least having survived the Great Depression and the Second World War, Mr. Roosevelt won’t really be bothered by another day or two in the dark!”
The good news is that all’s well that ends well! I am happy to report that everything “came out” just fine “in the end”! My daughter reported today that the human piggy bank was now empty! More to the point, he was entirely oblivious to the whole affair!
A flood of relief washed over all concerned as we realized the danger had indeed passed. No doubt the whole episode will soon be forgotten. But it does raise a question or two.
You see, little children are not the only ones whose appetites can get them into trouble. The Apostle Paul warns us to be leery of those for whom “their god is their belly.” So, then, what’s in your mouth?! What’s on its way to your belly?! What is it that you either already have, or else are about to sample, and then swallow, that could do irreparable damage to you once ingested?
My little grandson isn’t the only one to be mistaken in thinking that sampling and swallowing a bright, shiny object was okay simply because it looked good! Trust me… a lot of adults have done the same thing in life!
Seeking satisfaction and fulfillment, people swallow not only material substances, but an entire assortment of other things as well… Fame, fortune, possessions, position, accomplishment, experience, authority, recognition, pleasure – the list is endless! So, be careful with such things. They may look appealing to the eye; but a belly full of them can have serious consequences!
A two year old can be given the benefit of the doubt for sampling and swallowing an inappropriate thing. After all, he does not know any better. But an adult is judged by a different standard. For this reason, if for no other, surely it behooves you and I to practice prudence, and to rise above a life lived merely in pursuit of the slaking of our appetites.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/philippians/3-19.htm.
NOTE: Billy Graham once told the story of Suzie, the prized ostrich at the Detroit Zoo. She died suddenly; and so an autopsy was performed to determine the cause. To everyone's amazement, over three and a half dollars in small change was found inside her stomach. Graham's concluding admonition was: "Money killed Suzie! Does money kill you?!" Source: James W. Cox, The Twentieth Century Pulpit (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1981).