An attention-getting headline, right? Well, the four-year old little girl I care for is very conscious of colors and matching her clothes. So of course, she checks out what everyone is wearing so she can gather data (no doubt!) on what really does look good together and what doesn't.
I'm not a fashion plate by anyone's definition. My daughter, now 24, managed to educate me pretty well over the years about what was and was not acceptable for any given event, locale, season, etc. I'm not an embarassment to anyone - at least not that they've told me!
I'm sorry, I nanny for three toddlers . . . I don't usually worry whether my socks match whatever shirt I happen to wear on any given day--or even each other! It is frankly the least of my concerns on those days:-) I never really thought about it making a difference until I got called on it one day by . . . you guessed it!
When you're four years old, things like that really matter. When your mom has told you that something you have just picked out and put on doesn't go together, it bugs you when others in your life don't have to match all the time. I get it. Really I do.
I can't help but think of all the times I judged others, not whether their socks matched their shirt, but by other standards that are just as petty. Those types of things are insignificant in God's eyes. We are not to use the wisdom of this world to form our opinions of others. And yet I do. Often. More often than I care to admit.
I'm growing in my faith development, though. I'm really trying to see others through the eyes of the One who created me and all the other people in this world with me. I really do attempt to view others as God would. It's not easy. It's really hard work. But to do otherwise gives power to the evil one. It also diminishes me as a person.
As Christians, we are to build each other up. We are to spread the Good News. We are not to conform to earthly standards. Our standard should be the Cross. And then we need to remember that the One who hung there did so for me and my sins.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. [Romans 12:2 NIV]
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
THE MORE WE KNOW THE BIGGER WE SIN
I was back with my little buddies this morning, bright and early after almost a full week off. I have enjoyed the respite and certainly feel I took good advantage of the time off but it was good to see them!
I found out that one of the twins has developed quite a few new skills in the past week. He has learned to climb out of his crib (his brother has been doing this for about 2 months). He is quite pleased with himself too. He also demonstrated that he not only looks taller, but actually is taller.
My initial observation of his slimming down and looking a little longer in his formerly rather stubby (and oh so dimpled and adorable) legs played out like this: potty seat has been moved to the family room as both boys have been expressing interest in going on the big potty like sister. Today the recently taller twin firmly grasped the potty seat by the handles, slid it across the family room floor into the foyer and up against the front door. Then he reached up and turned the deadbolt lock - to the unlocked position. Yikes!
There were plenty of other antics today - some of which took me a great deal of time to undo. Needless to say, no naps were had today because the twin with all these newly acquired skills is the one who sleeps! And he sleeps through anything. His brother actually tried to sleep today - a rare event worth mentioning in the twin annals.
Finally brother gave up - and so did I after about the fifth trip upstairs to tell the boys to get back into bed, go to sleep, stop playing, etc. Of course I knew they were secretly laughing at me and saying disparaging things about me in their secret twin language:-)
The last straw was when I heard a banging that got louder and louder. At first I thought it was the noise from the house construction going on next door. But then I realized it was coming from the boys' room. The blinds were being used to signal for help I guess - or at least to be rescued from the prison of the bedroom. By the time I wrested the blinds from twin who can now climb out of his bed, several slats hung precariously by a single cord. Brother number 2 had managed to open the bedroom door and go down the hall to sister's room and wake her up in the meantime.
Before long all three children were crying, yelling, running down the hall. OK... I won't say I didn't get aggravated at all, but gosh those children are adorable! Big sister is a real trooper, too. Those boys are into everything and she complains relatively little. Oh, she has her moments - even days, but overall she is a tough little customer. (Even though she does teach her brothers some "tricks of the trade.")
So I got to thinking about how much more trouble the boys will be getting into now that the newly-skilled twin has caught up to his brother. The more they learn, the more chaos they create. The more skills they master, the more trouble they get into. Time outs will increase. After each sentence is served, though the offending boy will come walking to me, head hung down, and wait for me hug him. (And of course I will!)
The application for my own life is that the more I study and grow in my faith, I more clearly see my capacity for sin. It's just that plain and simple. As I grasp more and more of what it means to be a Christian, I recognize more acutely how far I am from the mark. The more masterfully I can preach on theology, the more intensely I feel the sting of disappointing my Father on a regular basis.
I am so very humbled and filled with awe at how loving and gracious is our God. Then I think about how many times I tried not to laugh out loud at the mischief and chaos three little children created in my life today and how they are so darned cute and smart and precious. I'm pretty sure God thinks of me that way most of the time. He knows my heart and how ardently I desire nothing more than to live a life pleasing to Him.
It gives me comfort to think that God sees me through eyes of love, even when I create chaos and mischief.
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [Colossians 2:2-3 NIV]
I found out that one of the twins has developed quite a few new skills in the past week. He has learned to climb out of his crib (his brother has been doing this for about 2 months). He is quite pleased with himself too. He also demonstrated that he not only looks taller, but actually is taller.
My initial observation of his slimming down and looking a little longer in his formerly rather stubby (and oh so dimpled and adorable) legs played out like this: potty seat has been moved to the family room as both boys have been expressing interest in going on the big potty like sister. Today the recently taller twin firmly grasped the potty seat by the handles, slid it across the family room floor into the foyer and up against the front door. Then he reached up and turned the deadbolt lock - to the unlocked position. Yikes!
There were plenty of other antics today - some of which took me a great deal of time to undo. Needless to say, no naps were had today because the twin with all these newly acquired skills is the one who sleeps! And he sleeps through anything. His brother actually tried to sleep today - a rare event worth mentioning in the twin annals.
Finally brother gave up - and so did I after about the fifth trip upstairs to tell the boys to get back into bed, go to sleep, stop playing, etc. Of course I knew they were secretly laughing at me and saying disparaging things about me in their secret twin language:-)
The last straw was when I heard a banging that got louder and louder. At first I thought it was the noise from the house construction going on next door. But then I realized it was coming from the boys' room. The blinds were being used to signal for help I guess - or at least to be rescued from the prison of the bedroom. By the time I wrested the blinds from twin who can now climb out of his bed, several slats hung precariously by a single cord. Brother number 2 had managed to open the bedroom door and go down the hall to sister's room and wake her up in the meantime.
Before long all three children were crying, yelling, running down the hall. OK... I won't say I didn't get aggravated at all, but gosh those children are adorable! Big sister is a real trooper, too. Those boys are into everything and she complains relatively little. Oh, she has her moments - even days, but overall she is a tough little customer. (Even though she does teach her brothers some "tricks of the trade.")
So I got to thinking about how much more trouble the boys will be getting into now that the newly-skilled twin has caught up to his brother. The more they learn, the more chaos they create. The more skills they master, the more trouble they get into. Time outs will increase. After each sentence is served, though the offending boy will come walking to me, head hung down, and wait for me hug him. (And of course I will!)
The application for my own life is that the more I study and grow in my faith, I more clearly see my capacity for sin. It's just that plain and simple. As I grasp more and more of what it means to be a Christian, I recognize more acutely how far I am from the mark. The more masterfully I can preach on theology, the more intensely I feel the sting of disappointing my Father on a regular basis.
I am so very humbled and filled with awe at how loving and gracious is our God. Then I think about how many times I tried not to laugh out loud at the mischief and chaos three little children created in my life today and how they are so darned cute and smart and precious. I'm pretty sure God thinks of me that way most of the time. He knows my heart and how ardently I desire nothing more than to live a life pleasing to Him.
It gives me comfort to think that God sees me through eyes of love, even when I create chaos and mischief.
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. [Colossians 2:2-3 NIV]
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