Me, in the car with my nearly three-year-old son:
We are going to see Marco at the barbershop.
My son, Leon:
Why?
Me: Because Dad needs a haircut and Marco is good at cutting hair
Leon: Why?
Me: Well because he chose to get good at this profession.
Leon: Why?
Me: Because this is how he provides for his family.
Leon: Why?
Me: (Sighs…)
Leon: Why dad?
Me: (quietly asking the holy spirt why is this happening to me.)
Leon: Dad. Why?
Me: Because a long time ago when God made humans, he gave us a mission to go fill the earth and subdue it1 and Marco is being obedient to God.
Leon: Oh. Ok.
Really!? I shouted in my head so loud I wondered if my son in the back seat could perceive my cranial acoustics. How long could have this gone on had I not skipped to the beginning of creation? I wonder how much of the difficulties of parenting have been forgetting our place in creation. The kids seem to get it…
Until next week,
-Steven
PS. My new devotional, Restored in the Rhythm is out now. Four weeks of biblical devotions connecting the original Latin canon to our modern English through an impactful and beautiful experience. Every purchase helps support me, my writing, and my family. Thank you to everyone who has already bought a copy.
Genesis 1:28
This right here is gold. Just type up a couple pages about it and ya got yourself that parenting handbook every parent is seeking. 😅😅
This is why I love kids and student ministry! My girl is too young to have entered the why phase quite yet, but I have witnessed how parents can become exhausted by the why’s and it feels so special to come alongside them and their little ones to help answer all of those little why’s that build up to a knowledge of God and this life He created. How special it is to witness these little ones Becoming.