Tip of My Iceberg

There are many today who have chosen not to have children. I respect them for their decisions–I don’t know the stories others carry with them that impacts these choices, but they’re significant and carefully made. I have friends and family who choose this for many reasons, much of it reflecting personal health and life circumstances.

There are those who struggle with the challenge of fertility. They’d like to have children, but they are physically unable through no fault of their own.

Those who are able to have families and do often add to their numbers as they feel prepared.

How much preparation is enough?

Our youngest daughter and her husband recently added a second daughter to their family. Debbie’s pregnancy was difficult; there were unexpected challenges along the way, but she and her husband persevered through all the questions and discomforts. They and their young daughter Kolly were excited for the new addition.

When little Thea came, as much as they wanted her, none of them were prepared for the exhaustion of newborn-backward-rhythms, where days are nights and nights are days. Kolly was unprepared for the amount of time a new sibling would take away from her center-of-the-universe status.

Wonderfully anticipated. Thoroughly enjoyed. Not exactly what was expected.

During the first century, Jews everywhere were anticipating the coming Messiah, the Promised One who would free them from the bondage they’d been in for centuries, persecuted by one people group or another. When Jesus came, claiming to be the Messiah, the religious leaders were leery of Him because He didn’t come as a warrior king.

He came as a shepherd of the people to lead them into a relationship with God based on love, not rules and laws. The religious leaders had their way of doing things–strict traditions and laws that had to be kept. They despised Jesus’ way of preaching love, forgiveness, and grace.

Jesus knew that the laws were good to keep order, but the way the Pharisees did things was crippling to the people.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples, ‘The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show.’” Matthew 23:1-5a

These supposedly learned men had hoped for someone they could work with. Someone who would shine a light on all they’d done, who’d respect what they’d taught the people. They wanted someone who was as interested in legalistic minutia as they were. Instead, they were confronted with a Messiah who spoke about truth and freedom in the forgiveness He offered.

Not exactly what they expected.

Thea’s family members weren’t immediately prepared for the changes in their schedule, but they still enjoy the new arrival with all her needs.

What Jesus offered the people was so much better than what they’d settled for. Jesus offered forgiveness for the messes we make, full acceptance of who we are, and the strength to grow to become better than we expect.

Life isn’t something we control. We can anticipate, plan, and prepare, but ultimately we need to deal with what life hands us. Even if it isn’t expected.

Wouldn’t you prefer having Someone with you so you don’t have to handle all those challenges alone?