UNEXPECTED

As the parent of a three-year old daughter, I am learning to see life through a new set of eyes. At times, I find my daughter's innocent perspective to be refreshing and challenging. On other occasions, her perceptions can be very humbling as she accurately points out issues that I am otherwise unable to see.

For example, the other day I was reading her a story before bedtime, and in the book a parent had just said to her son, "I love you." Alyssa interrupted my reading, as she often does, with one of her questions. "Daddy," she said, "Sometimes when you are mad, do you stop loving me?"

Talk about being stopped in your tracks. I think my mouth dropped open as I tried to reason through how her young mind understood this question. I was grateful for this opportunity to affirm that I love her no matter what, but I will tell you- being convicted about your actions and attitudes by a three-year old is pretty unexpected. And yet for me, this was a moment to evaluate my own behaviors, and how I parented, to make sure that even in the tough times where discipline and sternness are necessary that I am still acting in love.

I believe that the unexpected things in life hold the greatest potential to change and shape us. This summer, we are going to be looking at the life of David in the Bible. You do not have to get very far in David's story to realize the unexpected circumstances of his life. He was the youngest of eight sons, all of whom were strong and able men, and yet God had chosen David to be king. David could lead armies of men, and yet at other times he struggled to lead himself. He was the head of the greatest nation of his time, and yet he frequently failed miserably as the head of his own family. And yet in each circumstance, in his glorious highs and his wretched lows, David's heart was being formed. By the end of his life, David was referred to as a man after God's own heart.

What I find most encouraging is that David's story mimics our own, perhaps more than we realize. We live in different eras and face different pressures and trials, but God's ability to use every circumstance in our lives to shape us remains unchanged.


Enjoy the journey you are on,

Nick