A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Now that school is back in full swing, one of my favorite things to do is get up before anyone else in the house and spend some alone time with God. The first thing I do is go into the kitchen and get my daughter's lunch ready to take to school and then I set out mine and my husband's coffee cups. I pour a much needed cup for myself and go into the living room with my Bible, sit down in my recliner and just let the silence overtake me. There is something about it still being dark outside, nothing stirring in the house and a dimly lit lamp shining on my Bible that gives my soul a peace that I need to start my day.

I had been reading the book of John for a few weeks, taking it slowly and trying to find those little nuggets of truth that I somehow find I have missed over the years. As I started chapter 13, I was humbled yet again, as I read how Jesus washed His disciples feet. The day that I read it, it stayed with me. Why, I had no idea. I had read that same scripture hundreds of times. Little did I know that on that very afternoon...it would all become very clear!

I pick my daughter up from school every day and I love that little girl chatter all the way home. She is full of news about what her class had for snack, who she played with outside at recess and all sorts of other things.

Lately, she had been going on and on about how desperately she wanted to be able to go across the monkey bars but her fear always got the better of her. My husband and I took her over to the school over the weekend and tried to work with her to overcome her fear. Her Papa patiently held her legs and keep assuring her that he would not let her go....to no avail....she was terrified. After about a half hour, I just told her that this was not something that she had to do. It would be much better to play on all of the other equipment that she enjoyed and just wait until she was not so frightened to get on the monkey bars. She agreed!

That afternoon, after having read the chapter in John about Jesus washing His disciples feet....Nevaeh got in the car and I began asking how her day went...what she had for snack and then I asked if she played outside. She had indeed. Very excitedly she asked me, "Guess what Mommy?" and I just knew that she had tried the monkey bars.....I was in NO WAY prepared for what she said next.

"My friend went across the monkey bars today!" She was smiling from ear to ear. I was a little surprised because her friend is a little shorter than her and also weighed more...so naturally, I thought it might be scary or difficult for her. So, I asked "She can go all the way across without falling?" and my little girl simply stated "She can with me holding her feet!"

My first reaction on the inside was disappointment, not for myself but for Nevaeh. She had talked of little else since school started...she wanted to be able to conquer her fear and go across the monkey bars. And now...here she was, holding this little girl's feet...a child I love and is a dear friend of Nevaeh's...able to do this very simple thing that my child so wanted to do. My heart was silently screaming..."HOLDING HER FEET! WHILE SHE IS DOING WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING, YOU WERE HOLDING HER FEET? WHY, THAT IS LIKE....." and as I groped for the words...the Holy Spirit whispered to me..."Like Jesus washing His disciples feet?"

I glanced in the rear view mirror at my beautiful 7 year old daughter and noticed that she was smiling as she looked out the window. Peace and joy were written all over her face. She was shining from the inside out. Nevaeh had conquered something much greater than her fear of the monkey bars....she had decided that if she could not do it, then she would reach out to someone and hold their feet so they would not be afraid and cheer them on.

As I reread the first part of John 13.....the little nugget of truth that I had not seen or felt as strongly as I do now caught me and went straight to my heart...."I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:16-17)

My little girl blessed me that day and inspired me! I have decided that I want to be just like her when I grow up!