petite parallels
Here are a few quick parallels I noticed throughout my week. Keep your eyes open all around you!
The Coach
On Tuesday nights, I've been taking my two youngest sisters to their basketball practice. I usually just sit on the side of the gym while they and their teammates work on various basketball skills for a hour. This week, I kept noticing that whenever I looked up from the book on my lap, Jasmine would be staring over at me. I'd have to use my hands and mouth the words "Watch your coach!" And she'd quickly turn her attention back to him. But it wouldn't be long before she'd get distracted again, and I'd remind her again. Sometimes she'd be in the middle of a drill, but while waiting in line, she'd forget what she was supposed to be doing, and would need to the coach to explain it again. It wasn't until tonight that I noticed some small parallels.
We too are often distracted from our Coach. Maybe we don't realize He's trying to talk to us, trying to get our attention. Or we might be forgetting that we have a purpose for being on this team: to get better at basketball and win some games! And that only happens by listening to the coach's instructions.
But most of the time at basketball practice, the Coach isn't talking. Actually, a good coach gives brief instructions, and then lets his players practice! A good player doesn't only stand next to the coach waiting for the next instruction, he goes and practices exactly what the coach just taught him until further instruction is given. Are we that obedient? And are we content to practice what He's taught us until He says it's time?
The Dog
I was sitting in the living room early in the morning, and my dog was lying in the middle where she can see down the hallway. I heard mom and dad's bedroom door open, and suddenly there was a thump-thump-thump of a happy tail on the floor. She jumped to her four feet, eyes and body completely focused on the figure coming toward her: dad. Bleary-eyed and headed for the coffee pot, he stopped to scratch her on the head, and you could see the utter contentment on her face.
Do we love God like this? That our utmost joy is just to be with Him? My dog wasn't eager to see dad because she was necessarily going to receive anything from him. She just loves to be with him and know she's loved. I want to be like that too.
The Professor
I went to visit Trinity Western University this week, a school in Canada that I hope to attend next fall, with God's help! During the preview weekend, I heard over and over again that the students loved how their professors truly knew them. The teachers of these small classes have a reputation for being amazingly accessible and mentoring. Even after being at the school just 24 hours, there were several professors that already knew my name!
Considering this, I couldn't help but be amazed by God. If it is so noteworthy to have a university professor who knows his students, how much more unbelievable that the God of the universe knows us? He knows not just our name, but our learning styles, our capabilities, our potential. I'm glad to be studying under Him!
The Cat
Try as I might, I cannot find a spiritual parallel about cats. Comment if you have a good one.
The Coach
On Tuesday nights, I've been taking my two youngest sisters to their basketball practice. I usually just sit on the side of the gym while they and their teammates work on various basketball skills for a hour. This week, I kept noticing that whenever I looked up from the book on my lap, Jasmine would be staring over at me. I'd have to use my hands and mouth the words "Watch your coach!" And she'd quickly turn her attention back to him. But it wouldn't be long before she'd get distracted again, and I'd remind her again. Sometimes she'd be in the middle of a drill, but while waiting in line, she'd forget what she was supposed to be doing, and would need to the coach to explain it again. It wasn't until tonight that I noticed some small parallels.We too are often distracted from our Coach. Maybe we don't realize He's trying to talk to us, trying to get our attention. Or we might be forgetting that we have a purpose for being on this team: to get better at basketball and win some games! And that only happens by listening to the coach's instructions.
But most of the time at basketball practice, the Coach isn't talking. Actually, a good coach gives brief instructions, and then lets his players practice! A good player doesn't only stand next to the coach waiting for the next instruction, he goes and practices exactly what the coach just taught him until further instruction is given. Are we that obedient? And are we content to practice what He's taught us until He says it's time?
The Dog
I was sitting in the living room early in the morning, and my dog was lying in the middle where she can see down the hallway. I heard mom and dad's bedroom door open, and suddenly there was a thump-thump-thump of a happy tail on the floor. She jumped to her four feet, eyes and body completely focused on the figure coming toward her: dad. Bleary-eyed and headed for the coffee pot, he stopped to scratch her on the head, and you could see the utter contentment on her face.
Do we love God like this? That our utmost joy is just to be with Him? My dog wasn't eager to see dad because she was necessarily going to receive anything from him. She just loves to be with him and know she's loved. I want to be like that too.
The Professor I went to visit Trinity Western University this week, a school in Canada that I hope to attend next fall, with God's help! During the preview weekend, I heard over and over again that the students loved how their professors truly knew them. The teachers of these small classes have a reputation for being amazingly accessible and mentoring. Even after being at the school just 24 hours, there were several professors that already knew my name!
Considering this, I couldn't help but be amazed by God. If it is so noteworthy to have a university professor who knows his students, how much more unbelievable that the God of the universe knows us? He knows not just our name, but our learning styles, our capabilities, our potential. I'm glad to be studying under Him!
The Cat
Try as I might, I cannot find a spiritual parallel about cats. Comment if you have a good one.
Dogs have owners... Cats have staff
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