“Heidi, please pick up the puzzle pieces and put them in the box.” Dutch in his tigger-exuberance bounded down on the floor and began gathering up the pieces. Heidi sat next to him, mostly shuffling around the pieces while Dutch put them in the box.
“Done!” Dutch announced, beaming. Heidi sat and put her thumb in her mouth. I tried again.
“Heidi, please pick up that sippy cup on the floor and put it in the sink.” Dutch zoomed over like a racecar and swiped the cup, plopping it into the sink before Heidi could even register what I’d said. Her face began to register frustration.
One more time.
“Heidi, please put mommy’s shoes into the laundry room.” Dutch’s hand immediately became a pirate-hook as he exclaimed, “Argh!” and carried off the shoes, swinging by their buckles from his crooked finger. Heidi burst into tears.
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The problem is obvious, right? Even though Dutch’s intent was to be helpful he was actually disobeying because he was doing what I’d asked Heidi to do, instead of letting her do her jobs and experience the joy of fulfilling the work I’d given her to do. He was actually ignoring my commands simply because he failed to listen carefully.
I remember a friend telling me that the reason it’s so important to speak to kids in positive commands instead of saying “Don’t do such-and-such” is that they only remember the last part of what you say. If you say, “Don’t touch your brother,” all they remember is “touch your brother.” Ha! If you instead say, “Keep your hands to yourself,” they remember “hands to yourself.” Makes sense.
Well apparently the same thing is true with assigning chores. Dutch heard the command but apparently forgot the first part where I said “Heidi”! That’s a very important part of the command! The result was that Heidi was robbed of the joy of doing her work and I was frustrated and irritated instead of pleased by Dutch’s earnest efforts. Even though I truly think his heart was to be helpful he ended up doing more harm than good.
I wonder if we do that sometimes?
I wonder if it’s irritating to God when we run around eagerly doing other’s work instead of carefully listening to who He’s asking to do the specific job. Of course we’re all called to some things and we certainly don’t need to wait around and figure out whether we’re called to the Great Commission or the Greatest Commandment. Yep, those ones are for us.
But what about specifics? I wonder if sometimes we see a need and we’re the bouncing tigger bounding down, the racecar zooming in, the pirate with his hook ready to save the day rather than carefully hearing from the Master whose job it was supposed to be. Of course the opposite can be true too — we can just sit on the floor and suck our thumbs while everyone around us does the work. But that’s a lesson for another day…
Today I wonder, how can we be more attentive to the Father’s voice? When we see a need, perhaps we can hold tight just a split-second, long enough to check, “Is this ‘good work’ mine or someone else’s?” All our good works have been prepared in advance that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). The only works we need to walk in are our own, because those are the ones created just for us. Just as Paul planted and Appollos watered (1 Corinthians 3:6) and just as Jethro encouraged Moses to appoint elders to judge the people, so we can rest in confidence when we’re doing exactly what the Father has asked of us.
My instruction to Dutch? “Please listen carefully to my voice and obey my words exactly.”
The application is clear, yes?
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{Is there anything in your life that perhaps might be the good works of someone else? How can you get alone with God today to be sure that all that you are walking in are the specially-created works for you? Thanks for reading, and God bless your day…}