“I was a little irritated at the tattling that was happening in my house. It was impossible to get anything done with all the “she did this” and “he did that” interruptions that were bombarding me from all directions. In early elementary school, Stephen was particularly sensitive to the injustices he saw. He was constantly coming up to me and pointing out things he viewed as unfair and pressuring me to make them right.

I decided we needed a change in perspective, so I called him over one day and explained that he had a new job. He was going to be the household “grace police.” Every time he saw something that was wrong or felt like he had been overlooked, he had an opportunity to hand out grace. And each time he handed out grace, he could report to me for an “attaboy” or a high-five.

As a mom, I probably did the right thing for what I knew at the time. We both needed the perspective shift and to remember the significance of grace. And it was important not to ignore his frustrations or act like they didn’t have an impact. But if I could redo that stage of parenting with what I know now about creation, I think I would have made Stephen a “restoration officer.

I would have told him that his God-given sensitivity to the disorder around him was a gift to steward. He had a unique insight into things that weren’t right, and he could see problems that others couldn’t. His position and privilege as a child, made in the image of God, was to restore order in a way that reflected God’s values and character.

Did he see someone throw a wrapper on the ground? He could pick it up because the earth is ours to steward. Did he see someone acting unkindly to another schoolmate? He could restore order by repairing the hurt classmate’s heart, building her up. Did he notice a friend didn’t have a snack? He could make sure to bring extras from home and share. It would be Restoration Officer to the rescue!” (continued below)