Trust Me, I Know Best

December 15, 2014

photo by Mindaugas Danys

Every weekday, I spend my afternoons with two rowdy little boys. I'm a nanny, not a parent, but being with those little guys teaches me something new almost every single day. 

Every afternoon, we play. And every afternoon, I feel like 99% of what I do looks like this: Don't hit him! Be gentle! Careful! Please don't walk on the coffee table! Stop jumping on the couch! NO no no, do NOT put your finger near that outlet! Don't touch the lightbulb, it's hot! Please don't turn that knob, yes, it looks cool, but it's for the gas stove! Don't eat that! And it goes on and on and on.

The boys must think I'm some sort of evil dictator or cruel law enforcer or something. The way I see it though, is I'm a kind and loving caregiver.

What I say may seem like rules and commands and like a whole lot of fun-sucking to the kids, but it's all coming from a place of love and concern for their wellbeing and safety. I want them to be happy and safe and free to have as much fun as they possibly can without getting hurt or hurting someone else.

Outside of conversations with other believers, the thing I've heard most about the Bible is that it's a book full of a bunch of rules. It seems to the world like a book of commands and a whole lot of fun-sucking, right?

But here's the thing. Our God isn't an evil dictator or a cruel law enforcer. His heart is not to take all the fun and joy out of life and force us to live like obedient little robots. His heart is full of love for us that we can't comprehend. His heart is for us.

Yes, of course, the Bible has commands and rules. Yes, there are 10 really big ones. But if you look at them, really read them and uncover them, you find that they aren't rules to suck away our fun. They are rules to set us free.

I can just imagine if the boys listened to my rules and stayed in the boundaries of everything I've told them. It would be fantastic. There would be a lot less getting hurt, a lot less temper tantrums, a lot less crying and screaming, and a whole lot more fun. Yes, there will be things that are off-limits, and that will feel a lot like punishment to them at first. But when they realize that those things are off-limits because they are dangerous and have nothing good to offer them, they'll realize they can enjoy what's safe and good for them a whole lot more.

When we live in the boundaries of what God has told us will keep us safe, we can truly live freely and fully.

Sometimes, I'm a lot like a two-year old in my faith. I kick and scream when I don't get my way. I want what I can't (or shouldn't) have, and it's the worst thing EVER! But every single time I throw my dramatic tantrum and cry big old tears and yell at God, I realize something that shuts me up really quick. God is for me. His boundaries are set up for my safety. He isn't withholding any good thing from me-- He's keeping me away from the bad, the hurtful, the ugly, the cruel, the dangerous. 

I want to live freely and fully in the best design the Creator has for me, trusting completely that He knows best. Maybe someday, my rowdy little boys will realize that I, too, know best. I hope and pray that day comes soon.