Life's Profound Lessons

One cannot plan for life’s profound lessons. There is no way of marking the date on our calendar, of foreseeing when and how and via what circumstance or event our eyes will be opened to a new, as yet undiscovered reality, but throughout our existence, throughout our journey here on earth, we learn, and grow, and mature, and come to understand deeper truths concerning our walk, as well as our relationship with God.

I had just such an experience recently, one I shared with my wife, and which came via our baby girl. Oftentimes it is in the strangest of circumstances that we learn the most profound of truths, and this instance was no exception.

As a friend of mine once said to me, you cannot truly know the love God has for mankind until you become a parent. You cannot truly know the intensity, fervor, and completeness with which God loves until you hold your own child in your arms, look into its eyes, and know that you would gladly lay down your life for theirs, you will work night and day to make sure they have a roof over their heads, and you will do your utmost to be a good example throughout your life so that your child can in turn climb far greater peaks than ever you dreamed.

Recently we’ve been incorporating foods other than mother’s milk in Victoria’s diet, and that led to an unforeseen issue. To put it mildly, she was constipated for a few days, and after day two both her mother and I began to be concerned. When day three rolled around and still nothing in the diaper, we started making plans to go buy suppositories, feed her some prunes, and other things first time parents the world over tend to do.

It was near the tail end of day three that we heard a couple grunts, and the all familiar sound that signaled she had crossed the Rubicon and at long last had a bowel movement.

Both my wife and I were grinning ear to ear, happy and jubilant, until finally I looked at my wife and said, ‘you do realize we’re excited about poop.’

We were over the moon because our child had done something normal, biologically ordinary, something common and routine, something all children the world over do.

She didn’t start doodling algebraic equations with her fingers, she didn’t start playing the piano, she didn’t recite a poem, or even say any specific word…she pooped, and we were elated.

We often think that we have to accomplish some magnificent deed in order for God to be elated. We often think that unless we can add our name to the list of mighty men and women of valor in the Kingdom, then God simply shrugs his shoulders, lifts the velvet rope, and waves us on through to heaven, without really knowing who we are.

God is our heavenly Father, and as a father He gets excited over the little things His children accomplish. God is on our side. He is joyful when we begin to understand the callings to which we have been called, and to walk in them, even though it is a natural function, and something every child of God ought to be doing anyway.

When you really think about it, Job had not done anything extraordinary. He had not called fire down from heaven, he had not put armies to flight, he was simply a blameless and upright man, yet God boasted of him. Granted, there was none like him on earth, but still, as far as accomplishing something goes, Job was just living his life in accordance to the will and precepts of God.

God notices the little things. He is ever engaged in our existence, and even boasts of us when we endeavor to be more like His Son Jesus.

This is the lesson I learned as I stood over my daughter, changing her diaper, and smiling at my wife from ear to ear.

With love in Christ,
Michael Boldea Jr.