Pointing

“O magnify the LORD with me,
   and let us exalt God’s name together.” – Psalm 34:3

Life with our two-year-old is a pretty even balance, most days, between heart-exploding love, hair-tearing frustration, and waste management. Whatever time isn’t taken up by that parenting trinity is pretty much given over to pointing stuff out in an absurdly high-pitched tone of voice. “Ooooh! Look at that flower! Isn’t it pretty? Ffffffflow-er. You say it! FfffflllooooOOOoooowwerrr.” 

“See the RED TRUCK? It’s so BIG! Can you say rrrrred? Biiiiigg? Big red truck!”

“Uh oh! See the POOP on the RUG (for the billionth time today)? Does poop go on the rug? Noooo, that’s silly! Poop goes in the potty (please please please oh God please)!”

So much of parenting a tiny person is simply drawing that person’s attention to stuff in the world around her, and then offering her language to describe what she sees. It’s magnifying the small things you want him to notice amidst the sound and fury, and then telling him what (you think) they are.

This is a big chunk of the job description of any God-lover, too. There’s lots to draw people’s attention in the world, and God can be easy to miss in all the fuss. When you see God out and about, it’s important to point it out to the people around you, and tell them what (you think) it is. Make God easier for them to see. Magnify the Lord for them.

God is everywhere, but the world is full of stuff, and there’s a lot going on. Not to mention that, despite all our grown-up pretentions, most of us have the focus and attention span of a two-year-old. If we don’t point God out to each other, she’s easy to miss.

Prayer

Don’t let me miss you when you come, God. Send me guides to magnify you for me wherever you show up.  Amen.

About the Author
Quinn G. Caldwell is a father, husband, homesteader and preacher living in rural upstate 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.