Unintended Consequences
When it was time for a nap, she was supposed to go to sleep, but I am the one who got sleepy. It was a mild form of “unintended consequences”. Many unintended consequences are much more… consequential.
For example, I never intended to miss knowing my kids or my spouse on a heart level, as I worked in my career and was away too often or “not present” when at home. God caught my attention through our first daughter one day when I was about to head out again to “work”. That daughter who was probably 3 or 4 asked me tearfully, “Daddy, do you have to go to work again? I thought we were going to play!” I cried on the drive into work and vowed to start getting my nights back instead of jumping every time my boss made another demand. It took me a while, but eventually I found a healthier balance for my family and my job.
Recently I was playing with two of our grandkids, when we set up a pretend Baskin-Robins ice cream store in the driveway. I was dishing up lots of vanilla and began telling the kids (2 and 4) about the 31 flavors that BR used to advertise. Maybe they still do. The 4 year old with big-eyed excitement said, “Thirty-one flavors?” And the little one who had no idea what 31 flavors meant, repeated the words of the older but with much less enthusiasm. She was simply copying her brother’s words. She couldn’t have the same excitement because she didn’t know what 31 actually meant.
Then it hit me, we can only mimic the enthusiasm of others when we really don’t understand the truth of the concept….any concept. As I grew up in church I mimicked the enthusiasm of others about Jesus and God and the Bible, until one day I experienced salvation, repentance, and eternal life for myself. I got it. The enthusiasm has grown over time because I understand and appreciate even more the great Good News of Jesus and His love.
When that 2-year-old learns what “31 flavors of ice cream” means, she will be excited too. Unintentionally, the older brother was teaching her about something she didn’t/couldn’t understand …. yet. As you and I live our lives for Jesus we are intentionally or unintentionally teaching others about the Christ we know and love. They may not know Him yet, but they can start their “knowing” by watching our life, our enthusiasm, and particularly our love.
The love of Jesus is even better than 31 flavors at BR! Who in your life is mimicking your enthusiasm for Jesus and the life He offers? You may be “the book they read” on their way to knowing Jesus for themselves.
Are others impressed with your Jesus-life yet?
BTW: Those negative unintended consequences from my early parenting have been mitigated by God’s grace, and He has given me much deeper relationships with most of my family, so I now know their hearts…to the glory of God. I am so glad because each of them is a treasure worth discovering.
Our bad unintended consequences can be replaced by blessings.