Each year about this time I get excited to see my favorite spring-time indulgence take its place on the shelves of fine retail establishments everywhere. My weakness for chocolate has long come in the form of miniature eggs… Cadbury Mini Eggs to be specific. And, now that the Lenten season is upon us, the eggs have made their way to the shelves of Target, Walgreens, Kroger, etc. And, since these delicacies are seasonal, I must begin the stock-piling. (As an aside, these eggs are the very reason I have never been able to give up chocolate for Lent. Caffeine? Sure. Facebook? No problem. But, chocolate during the six weeks of the year when the mini eggs are “fresh”? I don’t have that kind of willpower).
Anyway… every Easter since we’ve been married, the Spouse has attempted to present me with a bag of my beloved eggs on Easter morning. And, for the past five years, he has bought every other brand and type of egg besides the one and only Cadbury Mini. I’ve been surprised with these…
And, these…
And, these…
But, never the Cadbury Mini’s.
And, it gets funnier every year all because he’s really, really trying. And, also because it’s not like this is a needle-in-a-haystack kind of endeavor. No, usually the Cadbury brand gets prominent placement on an end cap OR is conveniently displayed in the check-out line right beside the Peeps. They’re what you might call… abundantly, readily available.
So, each year, he eats whatever random bag of specialty eggs he has inadvertently bought while I indulge in my secret stash of the real deal. We laugh (again), and all is well.
What I most love about this whole chocolate egg saga is the subtle way it reminds me that sometimes it really is the thought that counts. Though the Spouse has yet to actually purchase a bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs, his heart is so right in wanting to do something thoughtful. He aims to please, and his attempt to do so is sincere and endearing.
I think about Samuel when he was sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king of Israel. He was expecting to see someone who looked like a future king… someone commanding, confident, stately. He was looking for his Cadbury.
But, that’s not what God had in mind. Instead of having him anoint any of the obvious choices, he has Samuel pour out his oil and thus, His spirit, on the youngest–the little shepherd boy. And, he reminds Samuel of this truth…
And, I have to realize… I can’t judge my Easter candy by the bag. It’s not about the brand. It doesn’t even matter if the tiny eggs are filled with malt instead of chocolate. It’s all about the heart. At least, that’s where God is most concerned.
So, as we move into Lent and prepare our minds and hearts for the sacredness of this season, I’m going to think about this verse. With every chocolate egg I eat, I hope I hear this thought echo through my mind… “the Lord looks at the heart.” And, I hope it makes me think a little more intently about the condition of my own…
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