Our friends have a five-year-old Downs Syndrome boy who was having a fabulous time at Sea World. In an instant, his parents realized he had wandered off, and in a panic, they began to run in every direction, calling his name. After a few minutes others joined in…frantically searching the vast pools of deep water filled with every aquatic fish imaginable.
Finally, after a series of hopeful leads, he was spotted…head to toe, dripping wet and muddy…running to his dad, who scooped him up in relief and hugged him reassuringly! Upon arriving home, they bathed him and tucked him into his cozy warm bed and proceeded to get his wet clothes out of his over-stuffed backpack. In disbelief and total amazement…out popped the cutest little live penguin they had ever seen! (Story shared by Yvonne Foust)
.Our little ones can certainly identify with this little happy and excited boy…I know I do!
We are sometimes like that little boy. We see or hear something that captures our total attention. We get caught up in the exciting moment and throw “caution to the wind”. The something may not be bad, but the distraction keeps us from following the best. God has given our children a safety net in times like these by giving them…US! Parents carry the responsibility of protecting their children. They make sure these little ones are taught and learn to choose to stay close to where mom and dad can see and hear them. Hence, they sense protection and security.
Alertness is the awareness that we are being stalked by a deadly enemy.( I Pet. 5: 8) Listening and obeying…especially when we are in new places…keeps us alert to danger! When little ones slip away where they cannot be seen or heard, they not only hurt themselves…they hurt others. That little boy’s daddy and mommy were afraid because they love him. That little boy had been in water somewhere and could have been in great peril! That little boy took something that wasn’t his (his friend penguin). That little boy took iniative and made a bad decision on his own…without asking permission from his parents. That little boy made the circumstance life-threatening for the baby penguin and himself!
We need to stay alert under the umbrella of protection. Our authority keeps the rain and pain of life from hitting us and gives us peace and security, IF we stay under its shelter. When we choose NOT to listen and go off on our own, we walk away from our safekeeping.
This, of course, is true for us, adults, too…
Do we remind ourselves in these busy days that we are in a spiritual war?
Do we maintain and guard our daily time with the Lord and His Word?
Do we see the need to be on guard to the subtle dangers
creeping into our lives and homes?
Let’s be alert this week to our spiritual condition…
and aware of what is taking place around us
so we can have the right response.
HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
