I randomly recalled a memory from very early childhood (I must have been around 4 or 5) that had me laughing out loud for a good, solid minute. If anyone remembers the show Kids Say the Darndest Things... Well, yeah, that.
I remember being very, very short. My parent's bathroom was small and had a sliding door rather than a hinged door with a knob, so there was less secured privacy as it was much easier to talk to the person inside. My dad was on the toilet, doin' his thing, and I, being a child (doesn't really need an explanation) wandered into their room, saw the closed door, and began talking to him through the door. I don't recall the exact conversation, but I basically gave my dad pooping advice. Yep... in all my pooping experience, I gave my dad a tip on a way to help him poop faster. He thanked me, and I continued with my day as a toddler with absolutely no cares or responsibilities in the world.
I imagined myself in my father's position. A little girl (who recently stopped pooping in her own pants and learned how to use a toilet) is outside your bathroom door, giving you advice to help you drop one. My dad graciously thanked me for my advice, as if he hadn't been doing it his whole life... as if he didn't have it figured out by that point. I mean, I was just trying to help.
I know it's a crude example, but it made me think about how sometimes I get annoyed when others try to give me advice on things in my life that I'm already very familiar with. I think it applies more so in the situation when the person (though they probably have a valid point) is new to said life situation. They say something very basic (who knows that going back to the basics is a good thing?) and you sit there, then somehow manage to say, "Ok... thanks." Often I'll get defensive about it. I feel the need to let them know that "I've got it covered" and that "I've been doing this a while". My dad didn't say, "Thanks, Clara, but I know what I'm doing. I've been doing this a lot longer than you." He said, "Thanks, Clara, I'll try that". Granted, it's a bit different since dropping the kids off at the pool is not generally as stressful as, say, being an actor who's stuck trying to discover who your character is. But what stands out to me though, is that my dad's response wasn't about knowing how to complete a task or do it better, it was about our relationship. It was about him encouraging me and my genuine desire to be helpful.
Sometimes it's difficult to look past the task at hand and focus on the relationship between you and the person you're working with.
I'm also reminded of some of the things we say to God when we're struggling or we want something to go a certain way. I don't know about you, but I talk out my reasoning about a situation with Him all the time. Like, "God, why hasn't this happened yet? I have A, B, C, and D so if you just did E, and F... this could happen!" As if God doesn't know what He's doing...
But here's the thing, I'm not saying that we shouldn't talk to God about those things. In fact, I think we should have those conversations with him more. We should also remember to listen. But ultimately, it isn't about the end goal, or achieving the dream, or finishing an important task that He may have even called you to. It's all about your relationship with Him. And He has so much love for us that I imagine it sounds a little bit like sweet little children who say the darndest things.
