Wisdom can be difficult to see during the process of learning

It can be so difficult to listen to things that you don’t want to hear sometimes. We are literally just like little toddlers some days aren’t we?.
Ex: a toddler sees a shiny object and is drawn to it. They see that it would fit in their hand, it may even taste good. It looks good, it looks GREAT! it is within reach…,they want this new thing more than anything else in the world. It becomes their immediate passion, their sole existence, their only purpose to obtain this object. Obsessive? Maybe....They waddle or crawl or scoot (whatever form of locomotion they have available) and grab for the object. The one right there in front of them. The one they see Mom or Dad or big brother or sister with just minutes earlier. It is the one just within reach. They get their little drool covered hand on it and the world is good. You can see the amazement on their little faces….Just as they do accomplish their mission, Mom or Dad swipes it out of their hand and (in a best case scenario) gives them a single cheerio or toy. In most cases they simply get a disciplined “NO” with little to no understanding made available to them in the moment, as there is none to really give a toddler. They would simply not understand or comprehend.

From their perspective, life is totally unfair and everything (I mean EVERYTHING) just blows up. Anger, frustration, hurt. In some cases, I remember seeing my son and daughter sink to the floor collapsing as if finished with ever trying to accomplish anything in life EVER again. An absolute explosion of emotion.

What is it that the parent sees that is so different from the toddler? The object of affection, the beautiful and shiny thing that must be had, the thing there for the taking? The Mother or Father sees a knife, a pen (a dagger to a toddlers grasp), a razor blade…..In the moment, it makes no difference to the toddler. They know not. The pain and hurt they have here in the moment, it pales in comparison to the true pain, hurt, disfigurement or maybe even death that would have ensued if not for the loving earthly guardian and his or her attentiveness.

What a true example of what happens to us in life as adults. How much different are we really, in his eyes?

Heavenly Father, I am sorry YHWH for pursuing the shiny objects that become my affection. It can be so easy to miss it but thank you for the wisdom and insight that you have given me in my own experience as an earthly father. Help me to find contentment in this example in my own pain today. I love you and thank you in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN!