I was at the library the other day, and I sat in the children’s section. (After all, are we not all children of God?)
A beautiful fair-skinned lady walked in, and behind her was a little ‘white’ boy of about three years.
I’m not insecure, so I can openly admire people without shame or prejudice.
Wearing yoga pants and a lovely pink top, the little boy behind her did not have matching garments; he had on a white T-shirt and navy blue pants. I noticed gruff marks, or skid marks, on his shirt, maybe from rolling on the ground or hugging trees.
The mother obviously cared for her appearance and rightly so, but her three-year-old didn’t have a care in the world about his appearance and rightly so. As she moved from shelf to shelf, seeking which book to borrow, the little boy kept asking questions about the books that were within his line of sight- down below – which meant his mother would have to pause now and then, and
bend down to answer his question or look at the boon he pointed to.
Watching them brought some sort of peaceful bliss to my heart, and also stirred up some musings.
Just like that ‘yellow Sisi’ we have a loving God who watches over us. His ways are higher than our ways, he is bigger than us and sees farther than we do.
But he delights in us and will bend down to our level to answer us. He chooses the best for us even when we don’t see it yet or know better, and does not hold the ‘grass stains’ on our shirt against us.
My greatest wish at present is to be like that 3-year-old boy, running behind his mother, without a care in the world about his looks or how the world sees him.
Through his mother’s eyes, he is perfect and secure. The stains on his shirt, the partial sag of his trousers, don’t limit or define him.
He was such a beautiful and happy child, with a caring mother who intentionally creates an environment for him to flourish and grow.
I believe God does this for us daily. All we need is to follow and trust him.
Stop looking at the stains on your shirt, focus on the fact that you are being led by a living, loving and present father. He knows what’s best for you and is shaping you into someone amazing.
The boy and his mother aside, what book will you be reading today? If you’re a parent, do you take your kids to the library? Like the saying goes: ‘All great leaders are readers’.
Even if it’s children’s books or small teeny weeny inspirational books, do your best to read often for the sake of your mental and cognitive health.
Don’t forget to drop a comment or share a thought, a question, or your experience with books or a library recently.
