The Mud

So often God teaches me spiritual truths through an experience with one of the four children. I think He knows that my understanding of Him can be more easily grasped when I see it in relation to my kids. I recently was reminded of the mud....

We decided the day was too pretty to stay inside, so we headed out to pick wild flowers in the field. We walked along together, but I was apparently going too slow. My 3 year old, Charity, ran on ahead. I called for her to come back but…after all, she was only 3 and the path ahead looked a lot more interesting than going back to see what Mommy wanted. She looked adorable that day wearing the cute little pink short set and new white sandals. Puffs of dust were flying up from her heals as her little feet swiftly carried her to her destination of which only she knew. As I came around the bend in the path taking in the view, I could not get the words out fast enough. I yelled for her to stop but my words did not reach her ears in time. There she was in her pretty pink shorts and brand new white shoes covered with mud. She stood in mud deep enough that I could not see her feet and drops of dark brown liquid dripped off her clothes. I ran to grab her before more damage could be done but as she saw me moving swiftly toward her, she bolted. “I can get out myself, Mommy” she screamed as she tried to pick up her little feet now suctioned to the bottom of the mud puddle. But she would not be stopped. As she tried to get herself out, pulling and kicking, she fell…face forward into the thick, dark paste. She couldn’t move. There she lay, helpless…not strong enough to push herself up because of the weight and grip of the mud. My emotions were stirring in me. I was mad that she did not listen. I thought she deserved this and it would teach her a lesson. And at the same time, my heart broke to watch her struggle not able to get up on her own. I had to get in the mud myself to rescue her. I reached down, picked her up and drew her closely to me. I wanted her to know I was there and she was safe. I wanted to hug her close letting her know I loved her no matter how dirty she was. I sat down in the mud with her in my lap, I took the tail of my shirt and began to wipe away the mud from her nose and mouth so she could breathe. I wiped her eyes so she could see. I cleaned out her ears so she could hear. And then I just held her as she cried. She cried because the fall had scared her. She cried because she thought she would get in trouble. She cried because mud went up her nose. She cried because her pretty new sandals were ruined. We sat together in the mud and she just cried.

After quite sometime, we got up, got out of the mud and walked toward the wild flowers away from that horrible place in the path that had grabbed her. In silence we walked hand in hand, both now covered in mud, except now we could breathe and see and hear. Finally I said, “Did you hear me call you, Honey? She nodded her head in response. “Do you know why I called you?” I asked. She looked up at me and without hesitation asked, “Did you see the mud?” “Yes, Sweetheart, I saw the mud.” We took a few more steps when she stopped me, obviously having pondered the situation and said, “Mommy, did you see the mud because you are taller than me?” I knelt down in front of her looking into her eyes and explained, “Because I am taller, I can see farther down the road – I knew what is ahead. You will not fall into the mud if you will listen to me, walk beside me and don't run ahead of me. When we stay together, I can carry you over the mud so you will not get dirty.” She slipped her arms around my neck pulling me closer, and with her big brown eyes looking straight into my heart she whispered, “I don’t like mud in my nose. I want you to see the mud for me, Mommy.”

Have you ever thought God was just going too slowly? Perhaps He was not moving in a particular situation as quickly as you thought He should. You decide to run on ahead. You don't want to waste time. You know you can take charge of the situation. Or, perhaps you see something ahead that you really want, so you run for it. You run to it as quickly as you can. You run fast. You race around the bend in road and there it is…the mud. You didn’t see it coming. In you go, head first.

How many times will I fall into the mud before I remember that I’ve run ahead of Him again? God sees the mud in the path ahead of me. He warns me. He calls me, but I do not hear Him. Sometimes, like my daughter, I just do not want to hear Him…it looks like too much fun ahead or I am so focused on what I want, I don’t see the mud. Just like her, I run into the mud and get bogged down. I become covered with the nasty, wet dirt. I can’t breathe or see or hear God because of what I have fallen into. I cannot get out of the mess on my own. I am not strong enough. I am trapped. But, God in His grace and mercy, reaches down, picks me up, draws me close to Him, wipes away the mud and sets me back on the dry path. He tells me if I will listen, He will direct me around the mud. He can show me how to avoid the pit. There will still be mud, but I do not have to get dirty. If I will slow down, wait for Him, He will lift me up over the mud. All I have to do is listen and trust him… not run ahead of him…just walk beside Him…hand in hand. He’s taller than me. He can see what I cannot see…and I don’t like mud in my nose either.