I work at a local private school and my experiences there have given me more than enough illustrations for hundreds of blog posts, but today something I heard struck me in an unforgettable way. As one of the kids was cleaning up and getting ready to leave (in the slowest possible “mom I’m not ready to go: manner), his mom said to him “Remember son, being slow to obey is still disobeying.”
I have thought about those words all evening. I may no longer be the kid who just wants a few more minutes with her friends and therefore takes considerably longer to clean up her toys, but how often do I respond to God essentially the same way? I’m not that kid, but I am that Christian, I think we all are in ways. God asks me to do something and rather than out-rightly saying no, I say “later.” I tell God that I will obey when I’m ready as if I have any right to reason with Him. I do things on my timetable, when I’m comfortable, but that’s never what God asked of me.
I’m not sure when it became okay for me to tell God to wait, but it’s wrong and it’s sin. Just like a parent who expects immediate obedience, God is my authority and He not only expects, but deserves my obedience. Waiting on my timetable isn’t an option and quite frankly it’s silly to believe that following my plans could ever work out better than my simple and prompt obedience to His commands.
So now, as I strive to remember that “being slow to obey is still disobeying,” I’m going to seek to “put away my toys” more quickly and less begrudgingly. I’m going to stop and ask God to give me a heart that eagerly obeys His callings immediately and I pray that you’ll do the same. And tomorrow… I am going to hug that sweet little 6 year old who taught me a great big lesson today!