I wonder how many times Jesus’s disciples didn’t notice a marvelous work in healing He performed. How many times they looked the other way when Jesus knelt down to care for a woman and her baby, abandoned by her family, living in shame for her sin. I wonder how many times he laid awake deep into the night praying for the ones he loved, and the ones he was yet to meet. His heart giving and pure, yet often he did not get the credit he so desired. Still, he served and poured out His love to undeserving people. And in the end, he was crucified and spit in. Shamed for all to see. But it didn’t stop on the cross. He arose again, giving us freedom to live by his holy spirit, and to be in relationship with Him. This is the Jesus we serve, and strive to be like.
In the course of an hour, a bee stings my lip. It was as if I had an implant done , but ONLY on my bottom lip. There I looked pouty. It matched my mood. Big family decisions were to be made and I was in a panic. Much like my ever swelling lip.
The baby spills a cup of water on the floor, slips in it and hits her head on the tile floor. Her brother falls on the CARPET , mind you and almost knocks out a tooth. The green beans burn that I am trying to cook for dinner, and my mouth is on fire from the bee sting. Who gets stung on their lip? ME.
The constant demands from the children begin to rise, as Daddy is not home yet. I literally say aloud:
” Jesus! Make me like you!”
The rice begins to boil over, and I sigh.
He is ever so sweet to respond with:
“My life wasn’t perfect either , remember?”
I’ve known he is my Papa for a couple years now. I mean really believed that I am a daughter of a King. What happens when we inherit personality traits and certain traits from our parents? Well we become like them of course.
He gave his LIFE for me. For YOU . But it doesn’t mean this life will be perfect or easy. We have to ask our Papa what to do and when to do it. He is so wise, and full of the experience in what it was like to be human. Just like us. But never to sin. Could you imagine? Never sinning, but being a human. Incredible.
He often was ignored, and rejected. Just like Mothers are on those days where we want to throw in the towel and quit. Ah, forget that pay raise I’ll never have, and that paid vacation. No one notices when I scrape dried rice off the floor from last nights supper. No one notices how perfectly I make the beds, just so , so that when I tuck in my babies at night they feel secure. There are so many things that as Mothers we do that go unnoticed.
I’m teaching myself that this is ok. Jesus see’s me. He’s proud of me, of you. I have nothing to prove to the world that I am a good Mom. I try, and I fail. I try and I succeed, either way my Papa lives in me.
And I’m striving to be like Him.
