I didnt know babies could do tricks like this, my older son said with a tinge of awe and a lot of excitement, in his voice. We were all happy and enthusiastic over this new development. The trick? The baby had his first tooth break through. My mom made the discovery and mentioned it casually that night before dinner. We are obviously from Missouri, the Show-Me state, because each of us had to find out for ourselves. One sentence sparked a flurry of hands being scrubbed, and turns being taken to have our fingers bit. All of us felt around his little mouth until we found his tooth and to a person we gasped in amazement and offered praise for a job well done. Silly, isnt it, our reaction to a simple biological action? The baby didnt have control over his tooth coming through, but we sure acted as if he came up with this idea on his own and was so clever to think of it. In an odd sort of way, that mirrors what we should be doing as Christians, doesnt it? We believed his grandma, when she told us he had a tooth, but we had to experience it for ourselves. When we are presented with scripture, even when it is a trusted source, look it up! Experience it for yourself. Then get excited about it, tell others what you learned, give them direction. If someone is going through a transformation, that can be a painful process, so encourage them. Change, even good change, is scary for folks, so be sensitive to their growth. Be certain, too, that your hands and heart are clean before putting your nose where it might not belong. We need have that balance of care, without condemning their situation. Each of us grew to this place, we didnt just arrive there. We dont always know how others will react to our faith, so expect a few bites along the way. Lets share our happiness and rejoice with others today. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Psalm 68:3
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 08:51:25 +0000