Growing up in the 1960’s version of Phoenix, Arizona, it was much different than it is today. Although it still is hot nearly year-round there, back then Phoenix (and its western suburb Glendale) was much less populated. In the 1940’s, Glendale had been one of the highest produce-shipping cities in the country and it still was quite agricultural. The entire Phoenix metro area had citrus trees everywhere: oranges, lemons and grapefruits. Most people had one or more trees in their backyard. 

One of my favorite memories involves grapefruits, picking not eating them (I never liked them!). We often took care of my niece who was so sweet and innocent, a delight to have with us. One day when she was around age 3, she did her Grammy a ‘big’ favor. She picked all the low-hanging fruit off the grapefruit tree for her! She was so full of glee being able to do this for her Grammy. The problem was, the fruit were all green! Far from being ripe, these were small enough for her to pick although still quite big for her tiny hands and heavy for her size. And I suppose she was too young to know there was a difference between the colors green and yellow, that the colors had meaning. After all, she was still learning to master coloring with crayons at the kitchen table. 

Boy, was she surprised to find that Grammy didn’t share in her glee! Yet she was so cute, how could one get angry with her? Perhaps Grammy’s excited shout “Stop!” told her there was something she didn’t know about grapefruit. Or about Grammy’s will for the grapefruit. Grammy was stern but gentle with her, and the event was never repeated again. 

God delights in our innocence

God looks upon His children with this same love. It’s sort of like when a small child thinks they are ‘helping’ in the kitchen by getting into the pots and pans. The parent can’t help but chuckle at how cute the child is while at the same time trying to be stern in stopping them.  God delights in us too, and honors our good intentions even when we are unwittingly making a mess of things. He doesn’t want us to follow His will out of fear but, rather, out of love. Small children, in their innocence, do things out of love not fear, and that’s how He wants us to be with Him. The love in our intention is much more important to Him than our doing things right.

“I’m ok!”

I was recently at the waterfront enjoying the peaceful harmony of calm waters, cloudy skies, waterfowl, and kids playing in seaweed. A mother and daughter were walking ahead of me when the little girl (around age 4-5) took off running towards her dad and sister. She fell in the grass, and as she picked herself up she declared loudly “I’m ok. I’m ok mom!”. She ran off full of joy.  

That is what God wants of us. Not to shrink back in self-defeating fear nor lash out in anger or frustration. Instead, when we stumble (either by our own effort or the act of another against us), He wants us to be able to pick ourselves up saying “I’m ok Daddy. I’m ok!”. He wants us to be confident in His love, secure in His presence, and to go forward in the joy that comes from being loved by Him.  

It is common to hear today in our secular world that people want to be seen, heard, and safe. But secular ideals and ideologies cannot produce the security needed to feel safe. Rather, being seen, heard, and safe are all outcomes of love. When we know Love Himself, we feel safe because we know He sees and hears us. Then we can be like that little girl and have the confidence to say, “I’m ok Daddy!”. 

He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. (John 13:1) 

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

(Image by Taryn Elliott from Pexels)