3 boys, 3 Lessons

My five-year-old

Anytime he disrespects a toy or cries “that's mine!” to something his brother has, we remind him that nothing in this house is his it was all bought by someone else and it is to be shared. 

This hit me in prayer as a lesson on earthly things. When we misuse things for evil or to hurt. Or when we want things others have. This could even go so far as to prioritize the pursuit of money in order to have these earthly things. But nothing on this earth is really ours. Everything here on earth was given to us by God and it can be taken away that easily. We have to treat everything we have with that respect and mentality. 

Every good and perfect gift is from above 

James 1:17

My two-year-old

Often times, two-year-olds like things done their way. Even if we know best. For example, mine has a pair of binoculars that can folded different ways for a bigger face with wider set eyes or smaller for someone his size. He prefers neither. He likes to have it folded in a closed way where the eye holes are covered. The problem is, he doesn't know how to fold it that way. The first few times he brought it to me asking for help, I folded it to fit his little face so he could look through them. He became upset and continued to ask for help in a more panicked manner. I tried folding it a big-kid way that would be too big for his eyes but he could still potentially see. He continued to give them back to me asking “help, help” with more intensity. I could sense a temper tantrum rising so I tried folding them up completely. That was what satisfied him.

I first fixed the binoculars just the right way for his face but that wasn't what he wanted. In the end, he got what he wanted but he can’t see out of them. Ultimately, I know what is best for him but he thinks he knows how he wants things fixed. 

When I reflect on this example (and I could come up with a million more as anyone with toddlers could), I think of all the times I gave something to God that I needed help with but I had a specific idea of how I wanted it fixed. In the end, I can keep insisting things be done my way and never really know what He had planned or I accept the way He fixes it and it will be taken care of the right way.  

‭“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”

‭Isaiah 55:8 NLT‬

My baby

The two lessons above occurred to me in one sitting while I rocked my infant to sleep. Then, as I got up to lay him down, I received the final piece to this lesson; the lesson of child-like faith. Here was my little infant asleep in my arms. To fall asleep in my arms is his ultimate act of total and complete faith in me. He trusted 100% that I will not let him fall. I've got him and he doesn't even consider anything else. He's at peace in my arms. 

What would my life look like if I put that much faith in Jesus? To give my life over to Him completely. I want to take rest in His arms and never for a second doubt that He has me. 

The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again for the Lord has been good to me. 

Psalms 116:6-7