What comes to mind when you look at this picture?
I am sure the word "obey" is not the first word to pop into your head. I have a feeling words like freedom, openness, majesty, and maybe even calling come to mind. But in this picture I see the word "obey".
I asked my kids yesterday, "Why do you think you should obey mommy and daddy?"
The answers ranged from, "because it's good to follow the rules...because you know what's best for me...because you are older and wiser and have lived longer...". My heart sank because I knew I had missed the point over the years.
I explained that when I ask for you to pick up your dirty clothes or wet towel, it's not about the towel or the clothes. When you obey, something is developed inside your soul, a building of character. When you pick up your towel or dirty clothes, you are developing a heart of gratitude for the abundance of clothes you have. You are building a character of steadfastness when you complete a difficult task that seems meaningless. You are developing an organized spirit as you put things in their proper place. It's not about the towel.
As you obey, you grow in character, and ultimately you know the heart of God more, and then you know yourself better because you are taking on the character of God. Then, your spirit is more mature and your maturity helps you grow in wisdom, and be able to obey more readily. A robot can follow rules, but only the human mind and heart has the capacity to grow in character.
It's a circle that keeps repeating itself as it grows more dynamic with every turn. A more dynamic relationship with Jesus is what is cultivated. It's not about the towel.
As my life progresses I can see how my own character has been developed from obedience to Christ. The picture above is from several years ago while we were hiking the Inca Trail in Peru. There was a time when I did not want to live where we live, including so many years of obedience through clenched teeth and white knuckles. But as my character was changed, I can see that it wasn't about the city, it was about how my character was being built through obedience. And this photo is God's faithfulness in our obedience. His joy in our abiding and my joy in his protection through his will...not mine. And here is where He took us.
It is so not about the towel. So I'll just keep having my kids pick it up.
