Many of us have had the experience of watching our child take their first steps. What a joy! But let’s remember all the coaxing and encouragement we gave leading up to that momentous occasion.
“You can do it!” ” Look at you – you are such a big girl (big boy)!” “I’ll catch you.”
Words of love, kindness and pride flowing from a patient parent’s heart. No chastising, ridicule or harassment. No! Taking first steps is a big deal and we wrap the step-taker with arms of love and then praise the accomplishment.
But this isn’t a one off experience. It will be repeated again and again with each new surface beneath their feet – tile floors, carpet, sidewalks, grass, wood chips and the ever shifting beach sand.
I remember the first time we took our youngest daughter to the beach. She had just learned to walk and I didn’t think anything about it when we walked out on the sand. As we stood there a small wave washed over our feet and then receded. When it did the sand beneath her toes began to move and shift. The expression on her face was one of perplexity and amazement. She picked up first one foot and then the other. But she kept her balance and we all laughed and clapped for her.
Love is patient, Love is kind!
“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.” I Corinthians 13:4 CEV
All throughout life we experience many new things:
- talking
- walking
- sleeping through the night
- sharing
- eating
- reading
- writing
- operating the TV remote
- learning a new computer program
- driving
- surfing
- dancing
- cooking
- sewing
- loving
- forgiving
- understanding
- encouraging
And these are just a few of life’s basics, they are some of our “first steps”. As we learn, we all need someone’s encouraging words to keep going, keep trying, don’t give up! If we don’t receive that encouragement anywhere else we will always receive it from our Heavenly Father. He is love incarnate!!
“All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” I John 4:15-16 NLT
He cheers us on each hour of every day. He is patient with us and His words are always kind. If we listen with our hearts we will hear Him encouraging us every step of the way.
Our first steps are important to the Father!