Why Don't She Listen?

As I type this my eighth month old, Maggie, is crawling around the desk and playing with "things." Things that cause me to be a little nervous, agitated, and even worried.

You see, these "things" are little twigs that are sticking out of a vase that my wife has put together (and decided to put on the floor where Maggie can reach it). You see, Maggie is at that age where she pulls on things and then as soon as she gets it in her hand it goes straight to her mouth. And that could lead to choking.

But as she goes after these "things" that aren't good for her, I say to her "No." She stops and looks at me and grins her sweet little grin. Then she reaches out to grab again but I stop her reach with a little louder, "No." This time she looks with a small grin and returns to her reaching. I then let out a real loud, "No, Maggie." She looks at me with a puzzled look as if to say, "Why are you yelling at me?" And the fourth time she reaches I have to get up and grab her and all the while I'm thinking, "Why don't she listen?"

And that's when it hits me. Does an eight month old really know what "No" means yet? Oh, but if I will say it three or four times and get louder each time she'll get it. But no, she doesn't. Her look is one of wonder and awe that someone is yelling at her something she just doesn't understand.

I don't know how many times in my life I wish I would have listened to stern rebuke. The difference between Maggie and me is that I know what my particular rebuke meant. I know what "No" means; I know what "Stop" means; I even know what "Don't do that" means and yet I acted like an eighth month old - puzzled.

If you take time to read God's word He gives us warning after warning of things that will not be good for our lives. He gives us stern rebuke over and over on things that will bring us heartache, despair, or even...choking.

Isaiah 55 tells me that, "the ways of the Lord are right and the righteous walk in them." And yet time and time again, I go ahead and walk in my ways thinking they are the best. Only to regret that decision later.

And in James 3 it reminds me that "no man can tame the tongue...it is a fire." And yet I think that doesn't apply to me, I know how to talk about people so it doesn't come back to haunt me...and yet it does.

And if I didn't pay attention to those warnings, I even read Colossians 3 when it says that I should, "bear one another and forgive one another as Christ forgave you" and yet I think, "God doesn't know what this person did to me. Surely He doesn't expect this of me in this situation." And I was wrong again.

How many times does God have to tell me before I get it? How loud will He have to rebuke before I finally take notice? He's got to be thinking, why don't he listen?

-Gregg