I could not move my dog last night. He was sleeping by my feet and was on the sheet and blankets in such a way that I couldn’t cover my body. I tried to move him. He resisted. He used his substantial weight (ahem!) to resist my nudges.
This reminded me of my kiddos when they were little. As a parent I always respected a bit of a stubborn streak in my kids. Thinking that a bit of firmness of character is a good thing, and it is. But there were those times when my kids were unreasonably committed to the cause of that moment. If you are a parent you understand what I’m describing. The times when a child takes a stand. A firm unmovable stand. Not because the issue is so serious or because they would normally feel this way, but because they are hungry or overtired, or just feeling out of sorts. An unreasonable, unwilling to listen to logic, unflinching stand.
While I do believe we need to stand on our principles, we first need to work out what our principles are. We need to be willing to examine information and test it against the scripture. We need to make sure the hill we die on is worth doing so. Children have not yet learned the art of picking their battles, or self examination. We need to do this to be mature. We need to review our beliefs and question what we accept as correct. This way we know when to be steadfast and when we need to adjust and grow.
It made me wonder if when Christ was on the cross he looked at the mob in front of him and saw them the way a parent sees a petulant child. The weight of His understand and his love is truly overwhelming when you consider it.
Luke 23: 33-34 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there,
along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Roberta Writes 