Households with more than one child are fun.
Hey, I’m not suggesting that households with an only child are not fun, I am saying that households with more than one child are a lot of fun.
One of the areas of fun for the parent is the challenge of appearing considered and fair to all the children concerned. Whatever efforts the parents make, as the children are different, so they have differing dynamics with the parents and so perceptions are given as to who is favoured over the other(s). It really doesn’t matter how the parent might thing she is being fair in her pronouncements or how he thinks he’s being judicious in his decisions, the children will reach their own conclusions. Some of those conclusions are even fair, because let’s face it some parents do indeed incline towards one child in relating to them over the other(s).
For all of that family dynamic, the multi-child household is also fun because of various things that children pick up on quickly. Such as a parent announcing to his children that he’s got something for them and will be looking to share it with those who behave themselves. Imagine this is a three-child household – to choose a random number out of my head. The parent calls the oldest one and says he has something to show her. Minutes pass and the other two are more than intrigued to see what Dad has shown her. As soon as she leaves her Dad’s presence, they mob her to find out what Dad said and what he showed her. She is in the enviable position of knowing something they don’t know and if she plays it right, she can stir their level of anxious anticipation for a long time. Even, perhaps, look to influence her younger siblings to do matters to her approval before she chooses to reveal, if indeed she does.
That works well until the Dad subsequently calls the other two and reveals to them what the firstborn was aware of all along. Then when everyone sees what there is, they can all react with the due excitement at the new thing that comes in. They all know what Dad has been waiting to reveal to them and they can now enjoy it to their hearts’ content.
Some followers of Christ behave like the younger siblings in the sense of looking to the older sibling who knows to be able to get an insight into what the Father has in store. The major difference between the earthly Dad and the heavenly One is that He is often eager to give His children an insight if they look to Him. They don’t have to be badgering any older sibling and almost be at their beck and call in the hope of getting tidbits of information. That’s not necessary.
The personal relationship with God – in the context of the household of faith – can be the environment in itself where you can ask and He can show. Better still, it can be the space in which He can invite you to see what’s going on and for yourself you can see what the Father is showing you. Things of what has gone one before, things that are going on at the moment and perhaps the things that are to come. All revolving around and centred on the relationship with Him.
Likewise once that is shared with you, it’s not necessarily even for you to boast and tease others about it. It’s for you to from that point of humble gratitude to encourage for themselves to enquire again:
Father, what are you showing me?
(Photo by Rob Laughter on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 