Slowly

A few minutes ago, as I'm scrambling to finish off toiletry needs of my two little ones, I shoo my youngest off to play.  Her brother had just gone to his room to play for a bit while I fixed their lunches. Of course, my little girl wanted to play with her big brother's room.

I hear a little boy voice gutturally growl and bark "No, Maelynn! Don't come in here!"

Immediately the strains of a broken heart pour from my girl.  I summon the growler, he steps into the kitchen rather cautiously.  He knew what he'd done was less than kind.  He knew I would find his actions unacceptable.

"Richie, do you get to play in Maelynn's room?"

"Yes."  By now, his curly-golden-crowned head hangs.

"You know that if you get to play in Maelynn's room, she gets to play with you, right?"

"Yes."

Right after I explained that I'd be glad to come get her if she were truly doing something wrong, he said, "I'm obeying slowly."

How true.  I want to say so badly that I'm obeying the things I know to be true and holding to the lines I know I should, too.  I want to say that I've got this, my sanctification is complete, and I have nothing left to learn.

But that's simply not true.  It never will be true.  Only in Heaven will our sanctification be made complete!

The same is true for my little ones.  I have to do a better job of remembering that they, like me, are obeying slowly.  They need grace and mercy from me, as well as to learn from me the grace and mercy of Christ.

Thanks be to God for his patience while I obey slowly.