Life's Little Parables

I pretty much followed what my parents told me to do as a teenager.  In fact, there’s only one time I remember blatantly going against what my parents told me to do.  (Yes, I’m sure there were other times, but this is the only one I remember).  Around the age of 12, I asked mom if I could begin shaving my legs.  She told me no because I had blonde hair, no one could see it, and there was no reason to begin any sooner than necessary since I would be shaving the rest of my life.  In my vast amount of 12 year-old wisdom, I just KNEW she was wrong, and that everyone was looking at my legs and laughing at how hairy they were.  The next day, I snuck a razor into the shower with me and shaved!  Ooo, can you just feel the freedom!  I had done it!  I was SO proud of my shaved legs, but I knew I had to keep it a secret from mom. 

About 2 days later, my older sister was sitting on the couch.  I flopped down and plopped my shorts laden legs on her lap.  She looked at my legs, and said loudly , “Lynnae!  Did you shave your legs?!”(Quiet was never a forte for anyone in my family).  My heart stopped.  Mom was in the kitchen, and could see me.  I was pretty sure she was going to kill me dead, right there on the spot!  Very quietly, I said, “Yes.”  Leah responded with, “You need to do it better next time!  You missed a bunch of spots.”  Mom just looked at me and shrugged.  She didn’t plan an immediate, untimely death for my infraction, and I was allowed to live yet another day.

Now, fast forward 20 years…today, I understand the wisdom of my mother.  I’ve been shaving for a long time and realize it’s not as fun as I originally thought it would be.  Yes, I do it, but I think back to what my mom told me…put it off as long as possible, you’ll be doing it for a long time.  That was wisdom beyond my comprehension at the rip old age of 12. 

The Lord has wisdom beyond any of our comprehension.  He created the world and has a plan.  I have the ability to choose to follow Him or go off on my own.  He doesn’t force His hand.  He doesn’t extract revenge against me when I decide to follow my own plan, not His.  He has told us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).  I have found throughout my life, though, that as I willingly follow the Lord, He will bless me with understanding and comprehension.  The understanding may not come immediately, but it always comes.