Peyton has recently become afraid of the shower. I think she has become more familiar with it since Blake has shown her how it works. But now, when we ask her to stand up in order to get her out of the bath tub, she is unwilling. Once she does stand up, she crouches down again in fear of the shower suddenly turning on if she stands tall. I tell her that it will NOT turn on, that I promise, and that she can trust Mommy.
But as I tell her to trust me, I realize this is a new concept for such a young human being. So I fumble over some words to help her understand what it means to trust. I say things like Mommy will never turn the shower on her while she's taking a bath, that I can protect her, that she has no reason to fear, because Mommy is in control of the shower. She trys to be brave. She repeats my encouragements, saying "Mommy will NOT let the shower turn on. Do NOT be afraid." Even so, she is not easily pursuaded or reassured. She keeps peering at the shower head, still afraid it can suddenly come on and crush her at any moment. She isn't sure she believes me. I realize that she doesn't believe I'm in control of the shower, and she thinks her fear will protect her.
As I'm helping her out of the tub, something in my heart stirs and I realize this is familiar territory. It's a very simple picture of what it's like for some people (including me) to trust the God of Heaven and Earth, and quite possibly what it's like for him to get us to trust him. He says he is trustworthy because he loves and protects us, he wants to prosper us and not to harm us, and because he is in control. On a MUCH smaller scale, these are all the same things I was trying to convey to Peyton to let her know I am trustworthy.
Yes, I know I'm talking about a shower and a two-year-old! It's taken me many weeks to sort this out in my head. Even so, I guess it became more about introducing Peyton to the very important concept of trust and where she should place hers. In this case, and probably in many more to come, I didn't want Peyton to rely on her own understanding of things (and by things I mean plumbing), because it made her so afraid she could literally not stand up. Her fear almost kept her from going anywhere. Can you see how simple a picture it is of what can happen to us spiritually? We think we understand sooooo much. But there is so much we can't see or know. Peyton, at her age of understanding, doesn't know how the shower plumbing works. She just knows what it can do. The shower might turn on and hurt me. Yes, it can but it won't. But it might. Yes it can, but I am in control. But it might. Yes it can, but I will not let it harm you. But it might. I am afraid and can't stand up. Yes it can, but I control the shower. Do not be afraid. Trust me. I am trustworthy.
Get it?
Maybe one day I will. I'll leave you with this encouragement from the ancient King Solomon...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3: 5-8.
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