A lesson from a tyke

The other night I had to chuckle at something a little boy said.  My wife and I bring these two boys home from church on Wednesdays as they are on the way for us and their parents do not come as yet.  We’re just glad they come to our youth program.  But as we dropped them off they both got out and one of them stopped and said this, “I’m not trying to be mean or anything but your car is small in the back seat !”  I noticed in their driveway were two SUV’s.  I suppose two different people could take what he said two different ways but I found it amusing not insulting.

Learning one doesn’t always have to say what’s on one’s heart is a lesson hopefully he will one day come to know but I appreciated that he was trying, even as a youngster, to not be inconsiderate.   It didn’t bother us “out of the mouth of a babe”, in fact it was heartening that in a world that lacks great love and consideration for one’s fellow man at least he was trying !  Have you given much thought at all lately to the second greatest command, to love your neighbor as yourself? (Mk.12:31).

I find one of the blessings of growing as a Christian is that you become more sensitive to others so that consideration for them trumps even what you want.   And this is nowhere more battle tested than in the home !  How you treat your mate speaks volumes as to how you are doing with this command and so how you are doing as to spiritual growth.  How you speak to your children is also quite revealing, especially when your day has been grueling, do you take it out on them or view them as precious still and not allow circumstances to dictate your mood? “Well thats just me, they understand that”   Undoubtedly !!  But does God ?  We must always “prove what is acceptable to God (Eph.5:10). Certainly we have all failed at this but one sign you are growing in grace is that such shoddy attitudes are less and less.

How about your coworkers?  And let me take this a step further – what do you normally think of them?   Do you leave things for them to do or do your best to make things just a little easier for them?   And the neighbors, sure we can all find things that irritate us about those who live around us and perhaps have different beliefs and values but have you prayed for them lately?     We can all crank things up a notch with loving our neighbor, especially that “neighbor” that’s a little annoying.  This is where the grace of God comes in especially so.  Why not ask the Lord to give you a compassionate heart and extend in some way today the love of God to someone near you?!  God will be glorified and you will be gratified.