For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
~ Isaiah 55:8 

“Can you bring your dad into the Light and give him to God?” I asked. 

“Yes, that is easy.”

“Can you bring your mom into the Light and give her to God?” 

Nine-year-old Justin cocked his head to one side, scrunched up his face, and said, “Now that is a bit harder.” 

Justin’s mom was in the process of filing for divorce when she came to see me. She wanted help for her kids as they walked through the difficult stages of grief over the death of the marriage. Though their father’s multiple affairs had prompted the divorce, he had convinced the children, especially Justin, that it was Mom’s fault for tearing up the family. Thus, it was no surprise to me that young Justin could not bring his mother into the Light. Even though it was clear that he loved her very much, it was my guess he was judging her as the “bad” one. 

I checked out my hypothesis. 

“Justin, when you think about your parents getting a divorce, how do you feel about your Mom and Dad?” 

“I am angry at Mom. She is hurting Dad and tearing apart our family.” 

“Does it feel like it is Mom’s fault? Like she is ‘more bad’ than Dad?” 

“Yes,” he said, nodding his head. 

“When you think about Mom and Dad this way, is your heart more open to one than the other?” 

With a surprised look on his face, he said, “It is more open to my dad.” 

Knowing that he was a precocious and intelligent young man, I explained to Justin that we cannot bring someone or something into the Light when we are playing god in that situation. When we judge what or who is good and bad, that is a way of playing god.