Come as a little child; this is an easy thing for children to do.  Obviously.  They are used to depending on others and trusting the big people in their lives.  “And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 14:2-4).  When we “mature” chronologically, we often grow distrustful of authority figures.  We’ve been let down before by parents, teachers, bosses, spouses.

Plus, we like to think we have it all together.  Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to learn something completely new as an adult?  Get a new “smartphone” and you’ll definitely get the feeling the phone is smarter than you.  Switch from Microsoft to Apple products and you’ll cringe every time someone raves about how “intuitive” the technology is…how it practically teaches you how to use it!  The truth is that you might feel more like the computer mocks you, rather than that it teaches you.  Sometimes it is just hard when you have to learn new stuff.

I experienced something like this when I entered dental hygiene school.  Learning to use dental hygiene instruments is just like learning to write – it requires very precise small motor movements and hand strength.  Plus you have to learn how to do everything forwards and backwards in the teensy mirror you must use to see while you are working.  Sometimes your hand just won’t do what you want it to do!  That was one of the most humbling experiences in my life.  I might have been tempted to quit except that I had too much to lose.  I had to dig deep and move ahead.

I think it is much easier to learn new things when you are young.  Most children are more teachable than adults.  Adults tend to question things.  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).  Why must we be cautioned against double-mindedness?  Because it is in our natures, as adults, to question and question and question, rather than to accept and trust and obey.

I think the mercy of the Lord is that He brings us to desperate places sometimes, just so we might be willing to try something, anything, just to get moving in a new direction.  Lately, I find myself desperate for change.  This time, I am not looking for anyone else to change.  Just me.  I am making a deeper commitment to Integrity, to Wild Obedience.  I want to be faithful in the small things.  I have seen the wholeness and stability that Integrity brings, and I want more of that.

How about you?  Are you desperate enough to try something new?  Do you have the faith of a little child?  Can you trust that the Lord will make a new way for you, where there wasn’t one before?  He said He can do it, so we know it is true: “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert” (Is 43:19).

Name one thing you want to do better.  Now plan to do that today and the next, maybe on to next week…want an accountability partner?  Post it in the comments.  Or on our community FaceBook page.  Let’s walk together.  Today, my something new is that I want to become a better listener, to listen more and talk less.  How about you, what is your something new?

Photo credit/Copyright: ambrozinio / 123RF Stock Photo