Learning lessons...

Learning lessons that are hard for some is easy for others and learning lessons that are easy for some is hard for others.

            Some of us learn quickly to look both ways before crossing the street. For others of us it takes a near miss or even seeing someone run over before we get the idea that being a little safe make a lot of sense.

            Let’s look at other life lessons. Why is it so hard for some of us to not drink or smoke or fill in the blank and for others they can’t even stand the thought?

            Why is it hard for some to not talk down or scrutinize or dissect others behavior and for others encouraging and uplifting the downcast is easy?

            Being a parent has really made me stop and think about a lot of these questions. Why do I want my child to respond this way? Why won’t my child respond this way? How come my child reacts this way? Isn’t it puzzling how children can be so precious even when they are so bad sometimes? And contrastingly isn’t it so aggravating how some children can be so sweet on the outside yet you know their little intentions are anything but sweet. HMM! I wonder where they learn that? Must be school because I, nor You, could ever have taught them that, right?

            Little lessons are sometimes the biggest lessons to “get”.  Here’s a list: Share that toy, tell the truth, obey your parents, teachers, be good, pick up after yourself, save some of your allowance in the piggy bank, give God 10%, love your neighbor, flush the toilet, don’t litter, pray, take out the trash, make your bed, do the dishes, mow the yard, pull the weeds, say thank-you, say please, say yes-sir and yes mam.

               Now take another look at this list. How many of these are hard for you? How many of these things are easy for you? Why?

            Little lessons teach us big ideas. We have to be faithful in the little things. We have to do the little things right. Little mistakes, little lies can turn into huge ISSUES.

            I learned this early on as the son of a Newspaper man and the son of a Farmer, and as a son of a teacher and as the son of a Mom. My parents knowingly or not, showed me early on that paying attention to details no matter how small the task may seem was important. This is a lesson I’ve yet to learn but one I’m understanding as the years go by, quickly I might add.

            My Dad had a phone call from an angry person one day because his or her divorce was printed in the paper and he or she was happily married. The person who was upset didn’t notice that they had the same names but a different address than the couple listed in the paper. They still went away angry I believe but know understood the issue.

            So why are some lessons harder for others and easier for some? I guess we all have certain rocks that need to be chiseled off. Some are in more obvious places than others.

            May the lessons you learn and re-learn or never learn, teach you to rely on Jesus ever more. And may He keep chiseling you to be just like Him.