Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Growing Pains


Ricky, why do you always do that?” I say to my oldest son. As he stands there I realize that he’s actually pondering the question in his mind. After carefully considering the question, he answers “I don’t know. I guess because I’ve always done it like that.”

He continues to work on his homework, and he repeats the mistake I just called him on.
“Ricky, didn’t I just tell you there’s a better way, a simpler way to get the correct answer?”

He just stares back at me with this blank stare, never really answering my question he gives a quick shrug of the shoulders and finishes up his work. After checking his work there were a few answers that were wrong. After trying to show him the correct way to do the work, I concede defeat and give up. He’ll have to learn by his own mistake. The next day, it was homework time again. By this time I’m sure that Ricky is dreading it.

“Mama, I got my papers back from my homework we did last night.” He handed over the papers and gave me that look, and said “you were right mom.”

“See honey, if you just slow down and listen to me.” I say to him, feeling somewhat vindicated. And that’s when I had an ah ha moment. You know the moments when the light comes on and it suddenly hits you like a ton of bricks that the lesson you thought you were teaching to your child, was turned around and you had become the student. How many times had I done just as my son did? How many times had I told God, I’ve got it? And how many lessons had a learned the hard way?

If I’d simply just listened and done as I was told, how much heart ache could have been saved on my end. I guess we are more like children than we’d like to admit at times. We get caught up doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. These are the growing moments. The times in life that God is killing, pruning away that thing that is not bearing fruit, or the wrong kind.

It is our imperfections that call us to the Cross. It's our human condition that brings us to the feet of Jesus. Even when we blow it he doesn't say I told you so or rub it in. He's not sitting on his throne wagging his finger in disapproval. There's no condemnation for those in Christ!

2 comments:

Larie Carlice Proverbs 27:19 said...

Oooooh, yeah, I so have to remind myself about this sometimes because my problem is wanting the acknowledgement that I was right.

Sad, huh?

smooches,
Larie

Evette said...

I'm right in that boat with you Larie. Sadly, God has to nudge me often.