greater things

God granted me some deep insight last week while I was babysitting.

We were at the park, about 4 hours into our day. I was getting tired of following and picking up after a 3-year-old, Q, who had no interest in playing with me.

My thoughts drifted to my work with InterVarsity, I'd be going there later that day.
This job has been a little different than I expected it to be.
But I've been terribly grateful these last 6 months to simply stick to the task to which I was called.

I started moving us toward home prematurely, because everything takes so much longer with a toddler. Walking with my charge, I looked up to the autumn sky and told the Lord that I was just tired of the task He's called me to, I was simply done with it.

Just then, Q stopped riding her scooter and asked me to carry it home.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that. You wanted to bring this here, this is your responsibility. Can we pull it home together?" I asked.

Well ... you can imagine how this plays out. Tears, screaming, a total meltdown.
To the likes I've never seen with this little one. She can be stubborn but she usually eventually behaves.

Just then, watching her sit in the dusty sand, next to the scooter I refused to carry myself out of principle, I saw myself.
I saw myself, crying before my God, pouting and saying that what He wanted me to do was not good. In this perspective, it seemed ridiculous.

If I can make decisions about teaching a 3-year-old a lesson, how vastly better can our Almighty God make decisions?
Who am I to second guess the work He is asking me to do?
But look at little Taylor, sitting in dirty, dusty sand, giving my Heavenly Daddy some attitude, and man I felt silly.
Because this guy knows what is good.

The thing is, I would have gladly helped Q bring her scooter back, because I knew she was exhausted. But her pure refusal upset me.

After a few moments to calm down, we ended up pulling the scooter together, sharing the work ... as much as you can with a toddler. And because she finally came around, it overjoyed me to help her.



(Doesn't that guy in the back left look like a mustache-version of Jake!?)