Teaching grace with a piece of chocolate...

Each night at dinner we require Micah to eat a certain amount of green vegetables. If we are honest, the amount he has to eat really can not be contributing to his health, so with each passing year (uhh... I mean meal), we are increasing the amount he has to eat. Tonight we asked him to eat a healthy sized piece of broccoli. I know, what kid (or adult) really likes to eat that stuff? With dinner being over and 10 minutes having already past, I told Micah he could have the chocolate he asked for if he ate his broccoli before I counted to 10. When I got to nine and delayed about 30 seconds before I finished getting to 10, the broccoli was still on the plate... so no chocolate for Micah.
As I finished feeding Lydia her last bite of chocolate, my heart desired to give Micah his piece even though he didn't deserve it. So, a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that I had a teaching moment on my hands.

Me: Micah, do you know what grace is?
Micah: ummm... nope
Me: grace is when you are given something that you don't deserve
Micah (silly voice): oh... grace
Me: Micah, do you know who gives us grace?
Micah: God
Me (with excitement because he knew the answer to the last question): do you deserve to have a piece of chocolate?
Micah: no
Me: why?
Micah (quietly under his breath): I didn't obey and eat broccoli
Me: That's right. But because you finally obeyed daddy, even though you lost the chance to have your chocolate, mommy is going to give you this chocolate. God gives us his grace even though we have done nothing to deserve it because he loves us. So we should thank God for His grace when we eat our chocolate
Micah (yelling): Thank you GOD for grace!!!

I had been struggling with helping Micah understand God's grace. When I show him grace in everyday situations, I'm not sure he always understands. A piece of chocolate is nothing to be compared to God's grace. But it was a good tangible example for Micah to understand favor that is not deserved. It was a good reminder for me too!

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace John 1:16

** Side note: Micah did eat his broccoli before he had the chocolate, just not before the chocolate privilege was taken away! So yeah for getting something green in him before the chocolate!