Be Specific
A few years back, I popped into our local shop to grab a few things along with my 5 year old daughter. She grabbed one of the child size trollies and prepared to help it with the shopping. I asked her to grab me some semi skimmed milk. Dutifully off she rushed, and appeared back moments later with four litres of milk in the trolley. “Oh” I said “we only need one carton”
To which she replied “well you only said get SOME milk, you weren’t pacific” (she was five remember!)
She’s five. And yet she’s cracked onto something that we adults do a lot. We expect people to read our minds. I didn’t tell her to get one carton of milk, yet expected her to know that’s what I wanted.
It’s something we do everyday, often subconsciously, in our family lives, our work lives and in our Christian lives. How often do we allow ourselves to get annoyed when someone doesn’t do something the way we want it, even perhaps getting annoyed or cross, yet with a moments inflection we could quickly realise that we didn’t give the right directions, or precise enough explanations.
In Jeremiah 32:33 we read
"They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.”
We often don’t listen to the word God puts on our heart, I know I don’t. Sometimes I don’t realise it. And sometimes I get that wee gut feeling that I’m not doing it right, and of course I always rectify my actions straight away, don’t I? Ahm, well, no actually. I don’t. A lot of times I forge ahead in my own stubbornness. Sound familiar?
So what do we do? Well, what did I do today! I looked down at my little girl, in All her sweet sincerity and I admitted that she was right. Now it’s not hard to admit to a five year old that you were wrong and they were right. Sometimes it can be harder to admit to our family, friends, church family and peers. Even harder again to fall to our knees and profess to our Heavenly Father.
I invite you to join me in a simple prayer. A prayer that may lake the finesse of our beautiful teachings in church, but it is nonetheless a real and heartfelt prayer.
Lord I screwed up today. I screwed up yesterday and tomorrow isn’t looking much better, without the power of Your guiding light in my life. Lord You gave us Your teachings, You gave us Your word and You gave us Your Son, yet we hold back. We give you so little yet you give us everything. Today I ask of You to open my ears and my heart to Your word, and help me to hear You and endeavour to life a life that’s worthy of all You have made it. Help me to admit when I am wrong, and to let go of the grudges and tribulations I hold against others, and teach me to say I’m sorry when I need to. I need Your help. I can’t do this alone. I need You Jesus and I need You now.
I am Yours. Here I am. I am listening.
Amen.
