He's Walking!

I wonder what goes through a babies mind when it first starts to walk? I mean, it’s what we all thought at one point…right? Is it…

Surprise? “Wait, they have the same things I do!”

Intrigue? “Everyone else is using those two things to move and I’m still using 4 of mine, I’m not even sure the right way. Is this right?”

Boldness? “I’m going to take a stab at this whole “walking” thing. Everyone seems to do it, maybe me too?”

Excitement? “Dude! I can go so much faster this way.” Then you hear “ahhh ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah” as their steps vibrate their voice.”

Adventure? “Woah, I can move so much more. I wonder what else is in here? Wait… where’s the cat? I love the cat. I want to go find him and we can cuddle. J Dude, I can go find the cat now! This is so much cooler. “

But I wonder.

I wonder at what point does it cross their mind that the adults are the same thing as the baby, but bigger. When do they make the connection, “Wait… I should be doing that too.” Then they grab a hold of something nearby and pull themselves up. They take a step or two and plop. They fall back on their butt.

What do the parents do? “AHHHHH! He’s walking! Get the camera! Call your Mom! He’s walking.” The baby took two steps and the parents are about to alert CNN of the breaking news. As the baby, we kind of look at the parents in confusion, “Wha? They’re so excited because I took two steps? Oh…maybe I should do that again. Let me try to get up… huuuuh (grunt).” Then the parents flip out again and take the video of it to show to everyone how their son/daughter is doing what 95% of the rest of the world is doing.

You know what I’ve never heard a parent say? “That’s it? You took like 2 steps. Come on. Don’t come back until you can walk around the room.” Why? One, because they’re not a jerk. Two, because they’ve been there before. Three, because they understand it takes time and that’s the first attempt of trying to walk or ever use that part of their body appropriately. Four, because they love their son/daughter and want to see them succeed and love to see them doing what they’re supposed to be doing. They gently bend down, take them by the hand, help them up and get going again.

Now stop, switch it around, and ask yourself: why would the Father ever look at us trying to learn to walk and say “What? That’s it? That’s all you’re doing? This is the first time you’ve ever tried to use this part of your life and you fell down again? Are you kidding me? You just fell 5 times in one try. You failed 5 times! How many times are you going to trip and fall? How many times are you going to stumble? Leave me until you can walk around me by yourself. Just figure out how to do it, practice, get good at it, and when you can walk fully, then come back and see me and we’ll sit down and talk.” No! One, He’s not a jerk. Two, because he’s been here before. He knows what it’s like to be human and knows what it’s like to try to walk down here. Three, He understands it takes time to begin to use part of your body and soul that you’re not used to using. And Four, because He is absolutely crazy about you. He loves you so much and wants to see you succeed and do what you’re supposed to be doing. He created you and knows the potential of how to walk. So He’s excited when you start carrying that out. He takes you by the hand, lifts you up, and then guides you in walking again.

He’s like “Look! He’s doing it. He’s walking.” Initially, we usually fall down more than we walk. So we stumble and fall down again and again trying to get it but we start thinking “Man, I just failed 5 times.” But the Father says “He’s walking! My sons walking! Get the camera!” In John’s second little book, he addresses little children, young men, and fathers. To the children he says “you’ve been forgiven” as in don’t worry about all the times you keep falling and failing, it’s already forgiven. Get up and try it again! You’re doing it!

Do 8 year olds ever trip and stumble? Yes. Do 13 year olds trip over their own feet as they enter their new bodies? Oh yeah. Do professional runners ever hit pot holes and trip? Yep. So do we as believers. If we’re baby children learning to walk with G, if we’re 8 year old believers, if we’re 13 year olds and trying to follow in a new venue or calling, or if we’re “professional runners” we still often trip. That’s why there’s grace.

Let us celebrate the fact that WE’RE WALKING like our Father does! Let’s celebrate the fact that others are walking too. Encourage what they have done, rather than every time they’ve failed or not walked well. Just like walking and running, it’s better and more motivating to do it if you have someone to do it with. So if you know a 5-50 year old believer whose camped out on the couch, maybe you can offer to walk with them for a while until they learn/remember how it’s done.