Irony.

So today I killed some time at a coffee shop in Gilbert, The Coffee Shop to be precise. As I was leaving, I saw this man sitting outside on the patio and something inside of me began to stir. "Weird" I thought to myself.

I climb into my car and start driving -- I have 6 minutes until I had to be at a house, ready to receive two rambunctious children (yay babysitting!).

As soon as I hit the main road, I feel like the Spirit said "Turn around and pray for him. Pray with him." Torn, I thought back "um, I now have 5 minutes. I don't have time!"

Conflicted the entire way over there, I settled for praying aloud for him -- in my car... yeah, I know, definitely NOT the same. I prayed and asked for forgiveness; forgiveness for following my time line and not being obedient to the Lord's (after all, I did have someone counting on me... she had to do a drop and run!); forgiveness for not being obedient and following His prompt on my life.

A few hours later, I was in the process of scrubbing the dirt off of an adorable 2 year old -- bath time -- when he decided to jump up and attempt a cannon ball in the tub! Bad idea in shallow water. The amusement he gained in my shriek was apparently WORTH the bodily pain he incurred. Knowing that his impact had to have hurt, I advised that he shouldn't do that again.

What went through his brain? "Hmm that sounds like a challenge! I know what to do with a challenge!" -- this of course is an assumption, but it was plastered all over the grin on his wily face.

Again, he stood up and smashed his body into the tub. Stern this time, I warned that if he did it again, bath time would be over.

You guessed it. He just had to see for himself if I really meant what I said.

He soon found out that I did. Plucking him out of the tub and wrapping him in a towel, tears quickly exposed themselves. I wrapped him up and held him and whispered into his ear "Every choice has a consequence and this is the consequence of your decision."

I know, he might not have understood my words, but someday he will.

I finished my thought with this "We must obey because God calls us to be obedient, even in the small choices."

Let the conviction roll in.

It wasn't until the words had already surfaced that I recognized the irony. Hypocrisy, might be more appropriate.

As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized that this sweet (spicy) boy was no different than I. Both have been born with seeds of rebellion, both are being drawn towards the Holy One, both are called to obedience.

I wrapped him up and held him close enough to saturate my clothes with soapy water. What did I learn in this precious moment?

I learned that the difference between the two of us wasn't that grand! His rebellion manifested in an outward expression. Mine? No one ever had to know, it was an inward conflict, but just as wrong.

Today, I decided wrong. Today, I was disobedient.

Lord God, would you revoke these seeds of rebellion in me and may only good seeds remain. Help me to be rebellious against the world, disobedient to the plans and time lines in it, and abound in obedience to the nudges You kindly place in my life.

{heart}
Kel

To hear the toast I gave at Kev's wedding, click here!