servant.
a bit of morning conversation with an 8-year-old I adore and tend...
girl: the rules here are different than my mom's rules.
me: some might be different, but i bet most are pretty similar, right? no hitting and stuff like that?
girl: yeah, but a lot is weird here. you let anyone touch the computer.
me: as long as they ask first and click on the things they're allowed to click on, yes.
girl: well, the main thing that's different is that at home we don't have a servant.
me: (eyebrows go up) are you talking about me?
girl: (tentatively) yeah.
me: (irritated) i'm not your servant. if you start calling me your servant, i'm going to stop loading your dishes in the dishwasher.
girl: okay (sulks off).
"did i seriously just let an 8-year-old offend me?" i ask myself once she's in the other room. "why am i so offended by that?" i realize that the book i've been reading has awakened me to the american "child-king" trend and i reject subjection to the will of a tiny tyrant.
but she is far from a tyrant. she asks nearly nothing from me. and when she does ask she accepts my "no"s with age-appropriate grace (and only an occasionally whiny plea). "she does not see herself as my master, so what did she mean?" i ruminate.
i turn to the scriptures. "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." (mark 10:43-44)
me: (approaching girl) sorry i was short with you just a minute ago. i was wrong. i am your servant. i make you breakfast every morning. i brush your hair and sometimes i put it up for you. i help you when i'm asked. and i really enjoy doing those things for you. and i know you know that you still have to do what i say. is that what you meant?
girl: yeah (clearly happy)
it's easy to get caught up in the "philosophies of man." i am so thankful for the quiet whisperings from on high that bring me back to God's wisdom and love.
she was complimenting me, that lovely child.
girl: the rules here are different than my mom's rules.
me: some might be different, but i bet most are pretty similar, right? no hitting and stuff like that?
girl: yeah, but a lot is weird here. you let anyone touch the computer.
me: as long as they ask first and click on the things they're allowed to click on, yes.
girl: well, the main thing that's different is that at home we don't have a servant.
me: (eyebrows go up) are you talking about me?
girl: (tentatively) yeah.
me: (irritated) i'm not your servant. if you start calling me your servant, i'm going to stop loading your dishes in the dishwasher.
girl: okay (sulks off).
"did i seriously just let an 8-year-old offend me?" i ask myself once she's in the other room. "why am i so offended by that?" i realize that the book i've been reading has awakened me to the american "child-king" trend and i reject subjection to the will of a tiny tyrant.
but she is far from a tyrant. she asks nearly nothing from me. and when she does ask she accepts my "no"s with age-appropriate grace (and only an occasionally whiny plea). "she does not see herself as my master, so what did she mean?" i ruminate.
i turn to the scriptures. "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be the servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." (mark 10:43-44)
me: (approaching girl) sorry i was short with you just a minute ago. i was wrong. i am your servant. i make you breakfast every morning. i brush your hair and sometimes i put it up for you. i help you when i'm asked. and i really enjoy doing those things for you. and i know you know that you still have to do what i say. is that what you meant?
girl: yeah (clearly happy)
it's easy to get caught up in the "philosophies of man." i am so thankful for the quiet whisperings from on high that bring me back to God's wisdom and love.
she was complimenting me, that lovely child.
Comments
Great post!