Jun 30 2008
why i choose death
Introducing my children to lots of foods is important to my wife and me. We want our kids to be flexible and healthy eaters. Fortunately we have lots of people helping us. Some of our biggest helpers are my niece and nephew Leigh and Lane. My sister-in-law is Korean and so their family has helped us introduce our kids to lots of new foods. My youngest’s favorite food right now is squid. Now I don’t mind squid but he didn’t learn to love squid from me. He learned to love it from his 7 year-old niece.
In fact I often have trouble introducing him to new foods. Recently I found myself trying to convince him to try a new dessert. After significant bargaining he finally relented. He loved it. I asked, “Why wouldn’t you just trust daddy and try it.”
He replied, “Well, I didn’t like it, because I hadn’t tried it. You see, when I haven’t tried something I don’t like it.”
I smiled, “But you like it now, right?”
His mumbled yes was lost in a mouthful of food.
I laughed with him and suggested that he could probably trust his daddy. I didn’t laugh too much however because I know that I am like that sometimes too. Well I am not like that in the realm of food. I will try pretty much any new food that is served to me. But in my life with God, I know exactly how my son feels. I know what I like and I like what I know. Even when God has something good for me I often have trouble taking it.
My son didn’t want to taste the food I fed him because he trusted his experience more that he trusted his Father.
Do you trust that what God has to offer you is truly better than what the world offers? Do you trust that the life of carrying crosses, loving others, and giving all things away is the best life you could have? I want to trust that what God has for me is the best thing, but sometimes I just want the feeble pleasures and comforts that I think I can obtain on my own.
But I do believe. Jesus taught
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:7-14
And so I pledge myself again to reject the cheap trash of the world and seek only the good gifts from my Father.
on the walk
-Ethan
