I can do it!!!!!!!!!!

I have to brag on my little man. As parents we have all heard these words from our children. "I'll do it." "I can do it all by myself." You may, as I have, denied them the chance as you try and speed things up. "I can do it", is the usual reply. Hudson was with me in the tractor the other day and was insistent upon shutting the door after we got in all by himself. Finally I gave in. The door is pretty stiff and I thought he couldn't do it. What do I know. He tried at first to simply grab and pull as he observed me doing. He couldn't close it. Did he then feel sorry for himself and ask me to help or to close the door for him? No, observe.

As I observe this independent spirit in my kids I hear the words of Christ, "Unless ye become like little children...". I also have to wonder why does time kill this self-motivated will in us adults? Perhaps it's the uninhibited nature in children that makes this possible. They have yet to care or think about what happens if they fail. They have yet to learn to use their peers as a mirror for their own self worth. I really believe he just wanted to be more like dad.

As you read the Old Testament, you see the gradual shift from an independent and self-motivated desire to be free and judge yourself according to an inner standard that calls and leads us, to the desire to be ruled, protected, and cared for by our fellow man. In Genesis, Abraham is called by God to leave his country and his people to go as God leads. In Exodus, Moses leads a people out of captivity that constantly desire to go back for the security of food and shelter. In Judges the people did, "what was right in their own eyes", but still sought a ruler amongst their own, e.g. Gideon. He told them, "Let the Lord rule over you." After Judges you have 1 Samuel where Israel demands a king. God through Samuel tells them, "...he will take your sons and appoint them to himself...he will take a tenth of your sheep...you will cry out in that day because of the king you have chosen; and the Lord will not hear you in that day." Israel wanted to be, "...like all the nations," to have a king to judge them and "to fight our battles.

Don't misunderstand. We all need help. God removed many kings whose "hearts were lifted up." However there is a huge difference in wanting help and wanting someone to do the task at hand for us. Before we set out to do the impossible, we must remember God has created us for a purpose. After we have done the impossible we must remember that God has created us.