Growing Up
“And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.'” – Genesis 11:6-7
One of the annoying things about growing up is that the more you figure out how to do, the more people expect you to do. You figured out how to work a zipper? We’re so proud of you! Now you have to get yourself dressed in the morning. You learned how to read? Awesome job! Now you can use a dictionary and teach yourself what that word you asked about means. Mastered your job as VP? We’re bursting our buttons over here! And now we need you to be CEO and do the really hard stuff.
There’s always one more mountain.
One day, God descends from the firmament to discover that the people are building towers to the skies. “Oh, my!” God says with a wistful tear. “Just LOOK what you can do! I’m so proud of you! Just yesterday you were wearing fig leaves and scrabbling in the dirt, and now here you are, my big girls and boys, reaching for the stars.” Then God puts his hands on their shoulders and looks deep into their eyes. “Now we need to talk about really being a grownup. Grownups know that you can be different without being wrong. You can speak different languages without fearing each other. Grownups can wear different clothes and believe different things without blowing each other up. Do you think you’re ready to do that?”
And the people say, “Uh, no? We just want to build a tower with these blocks.”
“Sorry, kiddos,” God says with a tight hug. “I think you’re ready.”
One of the annoying things about growing up is that the more you figure out how to do, the more people expect.
Prayer
Dear God, kindergarten was way more fun than this. Don’t make us figure it out alone. Amen.
About the AuthorQuinn G. Caldwell is the Pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church, Syracuse, New York. His most recent book is a series of daily reflections for Advent and Christmas called All I Really Want: Readings for a Modern Christmas. Learn more about it and find him on Facebook at Quinn G. Caldwell.