We lost
The littlest one wanted a dinosaur movie, but the oldest (and her sister) wanted something less “cartoonish.” She reasoned with her sibling about why her movie would be a better choice and even offered him delayed gratification. “You can watch your movie tomorrow …” Nothing seemed to be breaking this impasse, however, so they reverted to the simplest way to agree. Flip a coin.
Heads, I win.
And, ironically, I am swimming in a sea of statistics right now as I prepare to teach AP stats in the fall, so I can safely tell you that a flip of a coin will give a “fair” response of 50% chance. It’s not a bad way to solve an argument, when no one is inherently wrong. So, the kids looked for a quarter to end the dispute about movie preferences.
Then Dad stepped in and asked a pointed question of his own. “What do you think Jesus would do?” The oh-so-smart daughter knew the right answer immediately and replied to her dad with a sigh. “He would let the other person have his movie.”
So, that answered the question. It was the dinosaur movie. But, just when my chest was beginning to swell with pride at our excellent parenting and amazing instruction, I heard the conversation continuing downstairs.
“Why aren’t we watching the movie you wanted?” a confused younger sibling asked her big sister.
“Because we lost.”
We lost. Something tells me that she didn’t really understand what Jesus would have done. Oh, she knew the right answer, but she didn’t have the heart behind it.
So much of the time, I have the same problem with really understanding God’s purposes. I know all the things I “ought” to do and I’m pretty good at trying to live the way Jesus would. But, unfortunately, that isn’t really want God wants from me. My imitations of Christ will never change my heart and my following in His footsteps won’t make me more like Him.
The only thing that will actually change my heart is a transformation. The only way I will be like Christ is if He would be IN me. I can’t change myself and I can’t try to be more like Him, but there’s a better way. If I would just surrender my whole, entire life, nothing held back, to HIM, then He could fill my heart with His love for others.
I wouldn’t need to ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” because He would be living IN and THROUGH me.
Amen to that Heather. Yes, we only can be transformed by Him…let Him guide us in our daily lives…
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom.
Oh Heather! What an awesome application of a Scriptural principle.
Thank you for sharing this family moment with us.
A wonderful analogy Heather. I think that surrendering is a thing I have to do over and over again.
Great thoughts today and even us big adults need to learn about the coin toss thing … lol
This was fantastic, bless you.
Thank you for this wonderful blog. I enjoyed the story and the similitude you portrayed following.
It is so true that imitating Christ will not make the grade. Transformation – yes and that comes only by being with him, in the word and in prayer. How we all need to realize that an intimate relationship with Jesus and His Holy Spirit are an absolute.
I like the Strong’s definition of grace — Divine influence upon the heart. What that means to me is that I spend enough time with my Lord that His grace has time to influence my heart, to take His word and change my heart into his likeness.
Thanks again, keep up the good blogging.