Baby Faith

Children--babies especially--can really teach you alot about faith.  In the womb, towards the end of pregnancy, most babies position themselves upside down in the uterus, to make for an easy delivery for mom and a safe delivery for baby.  They turn their backs to the world, turn upside down, and expect for SOMEONE to catch them when they make their debut into the world.  What if we had that type of faith when it came to our lives? What if we ignored everything stacked against us, turned our backs to the world, and came out of our previous situation unharmed and safe? If we knew that someone would be there to catch us, would we be more inclined to have stronger faith?

My son has some of the best focus that I have seen in a long time.  No matter where he is or what he is doing, if there is something he wants, he goes for it at all costs.  He doesn't care if there's five feet of space between an object and the solid bed he may be sitting on, he doesn't care if you move an object a million times to keep it from him--he's going to find a way to get what he wants and needs.

Wanna know about focus?  This kid sat like that for ten minutes because his pacifier fell through the leg of his walker.  It was attached to his shirt by a string, so he knew it was there, he just couldn't see it.  How often do we know what's at the end of our journey and we still lose focus?

                                

When do we become so jaded by the world that we lose our focus, our will, our faith?  When does constant rejection, disappointment and failure change our focus or make us lose it all together? When does the negativity in our lives give way to faithlessness?

At birth, we start off with an 'A' or 100% for faith, much like a demerit system might work in school.  Our faith is full, because we have not yet experienced the world, and as babies, we come to expect being saved from a fall.  With a demerit system, every time we misbehave or do something that warrants discipline, our 'A'--or points--decrease based on the behavior.  Unfortunately for most, this seems to be how our faith works as well.  As we grow and get older,  failures and disappointment occur, and doubt sets in, leading to less and less faith.

I sure wish I had the focus of my son.  I'd probably be working on a second or third (or fourth) graduate degree now.  I wouldn't be taking so long to lose weight.  The trunk of our car would probably be clean.  But I can't do the could've, should've, would've game.  I can only take this moment recognize my flaws, and move on from here.

How much further would you be if you had a little more faith, focus, and will?

Sidenote: I wrote this on Friday, July 8th. The funny thing is, my pastor touch on this on Sunday, July 10th. Funny, huh? God will definitely kick you in the butt to make sure you're paying attention, won't he?