Mirror Image

Saturday was grass-cutting day. This is a chore I dread because I lack the strength to start the lawnmower. Since some tasks are easier for men, and starting a lawnmower is one of them, sometimes I do succeed in getting it started, but not this day. Have you heard that women can do almost anything a man can? Well, that sounds good, but from my experience, it isn't always so. God created us differently. I've come to realize this more and more since I lost my husband.

Before I had time to complain to God about my predicament, I saw my neighbor in his yard. I quickly went over to ask him to start the lawnmower. My neighbor, Mike, stopped what he was doing, and came right over to help.

The youngest of his children, three-year-old Ross, was standing with him. I watched the little boy follow right behind him, almost matching him step-by-step. This time the lawnmower wouldn't start, even for him. Mike immediately went to get his tools to fix the problem. As he started to his garage, so did his little boy. He returned with a few tools in hand, and walking with him, holding some of his play tools, was Ross. Mike stooped down and began looking at the lawnmower, unscrewing nuts and bolts, with Ross stooping right beside him, imitating everything he did. It was a picture I will carry with me for a long time, father and son sharing such a special bond.

In a few moments, the oldest son joined the pair fixing the lawnmower. Christopher looked at me, and with great confidence in his Dad's abilities said, "if it can be fixed, my Dad can do it." I was now observing the father's bond with the eldest, as well as the youngest child.

God showed me a few nuggets of truth, right there in my own front yard.

1. I need to be childlike, just as those two boys were with their father.

"I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 18:3 NLT).

2. I am to imitate my heavenly Father, just as the youngest one did his earthly dad. I need to be close to Him, watching and learning.

3. Like the oldest son, I need to have confidence in my Heavenly Father. I know my God can fix anything! This son's confidence in his dad was based on knowing him and seeing him fix things before. He had been where the youngest was now sitting. There was no doubt in his mind, he was confident that his dad could fix my lawnmower.

Do I have that same confidence in God? Do I know my heavenly Father as those two boys know their earthly dad?

"Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him! He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring" (Hosea 6:3 NLT).

It won't happen unless I do as they did — spend time with my Dad and watch what He is doing, listen to what He is saying, and then do as He does.

"... the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does" (John 5:19 NLT).

My prayer is that I can learn to do as the two neighbor boys did with their earthly father. I want to be a "mirror image" of the Father and His Son.

Also, let's remember to have confidence in God for our needs. We have seen Him fix things before and we know He can do it again! He has even fixed us in that He saved us so we can live with Him for all eternity. We have great reason to be confident! 

Copyright © Kathy Schultz, used with permission.