With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Ephesians 4:2
At the risk of repetition, I have to return to the Kookaburras as yet again another useful example came before my eyes this week; but first to some other ‘visitors’ we have in our garden. For our first few months here nothing disturbed our garden but these past few months we have had nocturnal visitors who have been aerating our mulch and generally making things look untidy. Some say its foxes, of which we know there are a number around our area, and others say bandicoots. Since we never manage to spot the little rascals we’ll just have to guess, unless we want to sit out all night and wait!
The other day, however I watched a kooka swoop down and dig for grubs as I’ve told you before. This was different. He (or she) kept digging and digging and made as much mess in the mulch as our night visitors do. This mess was unusual so I made an assumption, which may or may not be correct, but it serves me well to illustrate the thought that came to my mind. I decided that this must be a young kookaburra which hasn’t yet perfected the technique of accurate digging as the adults have. Therefore I forgave it knowing that it will learn!
I thought about the process of discipleship and the verse in Proverbs 14:4 which says, Where there are no oxen the trough is clean. In other words if you want a clean stable you’d better not have any animals in it! I am the kind of person who prefers ‘no mess’ and so I preferred that my kids didn’t cook when they were young because I didn’t like the mess. Poor kids! Just like children learning to cook will make more mess (usually) than an experienced cook, so too young Christians may sometimes make ‘a mess’ in learning how to live in the Christian life.
There are many lessons to learn in our journey of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Sometimes in the excitement of this new life we will make mistakes that our pastors and leaders may have to ‘clean up’ after, but it is better that we mess up than that we never try at all. Sometimes I think those who are ‘out there’ and willing to have a go and make a mistake often learn and grow at a faster rate than those of us who are too afraid to try lest we fail. Remember how much Jesus had to put up with as his disciples went through their learning process. They only learned by doing and he allowed them to ‘do’.
Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to have forbearance towards one another, and so there should be, but it is especially important that we show loving forbearance to those who are just beginning the journey. If we get upset at their messes we will discourage them from opportunities to grow. We need people to grow up and become mature in their faith and become fully functioning and useful members of the body of Christ. We want growing people in our church more than a clean and tidy empty one.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I forget that people need to grow and in growing they will make mistakes. Help me to have loving forbearance toward them and to patiently encourage them in their Christian growth. Amen
At the risk of repetition, I have to return to the Kookaburras as yet again another useful example came before my eyes this week; but first to some other ‘visitors’ we have in our garden. For our first few months here nothing disturbed our garden but these past few months we have had nocturnal visitors who have been aerating our mulch and generally making things look untidy. Some say its foxes, of which we know there are a number around our area, and others say bandicoots. Since we never manage to spot the little rascals we’ll just have to guess, unless we want to sit out all night and wait!
The other day, however I watched a kooka swoop down and dig for grubs as I’ve told you before. This was different. He (or she) kept digging and digging and made as much mess in the mulch as our night visitors do. This mess was unusual so I made an assumption, which may or may not be correct, but it serves me well to illustrate the thought that came to my mind. I decided that this must be a young kookaburra which hasn’t yet perfected the technique of accurate digging as the adults have. Therefore I forgave it knowing that it will learn!
I thought about the process of discipleship and the verse in Proverbs 14:4 which says, Where there are no oxen the trough is clean. In other words if you want a clean stable you’d better not have any animals in it! I am the kind of person who prefers ‘no mess’ and so I preferred that my kids didn’t cook when they were young because I didn’t like the mess. Poor kids! Just like children learning to cook will make more mess (usually) than an experienced cook, so too young Christians may sometimes make ‘a mess’ in learning how to live in the Christian life.
There are many lessons to learn in our journey of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. Sometimes in the excitement of this new life we will make mistakes that our pastors and leaders may have to ‘clean up’ after, but it is better that we mess up than that we never try at all. Sometimes I think those who are ‘out there’ and willing to have a go and make a mistake often learn and grow at a faster rate than those of us who are too afraid to try lest we fail. Remember how much Jesus had to put up with as his disciples went through their learning process. They only learned by doing and he allowed them to ‘do’.
Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers to have forbearance towards one another, and so there should be, but it is especially important that we show loving forbearance to those who are just beginning the journey. If we get upset at their messes we will discourage them from opportunities to grow. We need people to grow up and become mature in their faith and become fully functioning and useful members of the body of Christ. We want growing people in our church more than a clean and tidy empty one.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I forget that people need to grow and in growing they will make mistakes. Help me to have loving forbearance toward them and to patiently encourage them in their Christian growth. Amen
