No More Growing Pains

Judah energetically slapped his slobbery little hand on my cheek, staring at me intently. Leaning forward, he slowly put his mouth over his hand, with that same hand still firmly grasping my cheekbone. My six-month-old was oblivious to his mama’s possible discomfort as he explored my face, trying to decide if he could suck on his hand and Mama’s cheeks simultaneously. 

 The more he successfully got in his mouth, the harder he gripped my cheek. “Ouch, Buddy, that hurts Mama,” I chuckled as I rearranged him on my lap to give my face some much needed reprieve. Now facing forward, he bent back as far as he could to put his somehow-wetter hand back on my cheek. Judah’s second exploration of his mama’s face was not a dry experience, but he was, at least, a little gentler.

Like every mom who’s watched a baby develop, I have no idea what was going through my son’s mind that morning. He had questions, though. He needed to figure out something about me, and he was going to do it, no matter how gross, painful, or arduous his thought process appeared to me as his mama. Although the process lasted mere minutes, when he reached his conclusion, he settled down and happily fell asleep.

I could have gotten frustrated at Judah for putting his soggy, wet little hand on my face. I could have been annoyed that my life was put on hold while he discovered something seemingly inconsequential which was keeping me from making dinner. I definitely could have focused on how his discovery methods caused me physical pain—his tiny fingers are little vises! Or, I could celebrate the fact that he is developing, growing, and learning.

Why is it so easy for me to be patient with my six-month-old baby, but when a new believer in Jesus struggles to grasp something new, I often want to jump over the reality that learning a new skill is a process? How much sweeter would  that new believer’s faith journey be if they were met with older saints who remember the joy of growing pains?

After all, even in our spiritual maturity, we are called to be like children.