Something's Fishy (*pun intended)
24 February, 2016
This morning, as I was listening to K-Love on my way to work, a teacher called into the radio station to share a story about her kindergarden class. As her kiddies were walking out of school to get onto the school bus, she noticed something strange. A little boy was swiftly walking with drips of waters falling from his backpack. The teacher called out to the young boy to stop walking so she could stop the drip, of which she figured was an unscrewed thermos.
“Hollis!” she called after the young man. The little boy didn’t stop. In fact, he started walking even faster, then breaking into a full-blown sprint toward the bus. “Hollis!” she called again, jogging after him and lightly grabbing his arm. Asking for his bag, he reluctantly handed it over, tears starting to swell in his eyes, wimpering “I’m sowwy.”
She opened his backpack and found no thermos. Instead, she found a soaked crayon box. Opening the box, she found Finn, her classroom goldfish, barely keeping alive in an inch of water! Quickly running Finn back into his tank, all was well, and the teacher couldn’t help but chuckle over the ridiculousness of the story while re-enacting it on air.
So often, in a strange way, I act like that little boy. There’s so many things I still want in life. I want to start a magazine, I want to get married, I want to have kids... Yet, if God gave me all those gifts on a silver platter today, I surely wouldn’t have the capabilities to handle them. All good gifts come from God, it’s Biblical, but that doesn’t mean God needs to give us everything we could ever want immediately.
God is an expert life Coach. He knows just how to train His children to be everything He’s destined for them. Take Joseph for example: God’s destiny for Joseph was to become a major leader in Egypt, second to only pharaoh himself. God had Joseph endure many years of slavery and bondage before his triumph, however, so Joseph would be prepared and ready for the major life step.
Little Hollis was clearly not ready to take care of Finn the goldfish. He stuffed the fish into a crayon box for goodness sakes! But, I’d be willing to bet by the time Hollis is 10 or 11, he’d be perfectly fit to care for a whole tank of goldfish! He needs to wait a few years to grow and mature and learn so he can handle such a blessing.
God cannot pour endless gifts down on His people. Why? There is no way we could handle them all! Imagine if at this moment, God gave you a star on the walk of fame, a modeling contract, a billion dollars, an Olympic gold medal, and a wedding ring from Tom Cruise. Do you think you could handle all those blessings and still maintain a humble, God-fearing attitude? Personally, I would love to have all those blessings, but dare I admit I doubt I'd have the willpower to handle them correctly and humbly.
King Solomon is a rare example of a man who could handle immediate blessing. God asked Solomon what he wanted. “I’ll give you anything you could ever want, just name it!” Solomon, in the midst of God’s immense glory and power, asked for wisdom. “I want to serve my people with wisdom. I want to make thoughtful decisions to lead my people the way they deserve.” Because of that answer, God not only granted him wisdom, but fame and fortune as well.
I want to receive the blessings God has for me, but I also want timing to be right. Why would I want to receive a blessing only to screw it up due to poor preparation?
If you’re waiting on a blessing from God, do not lose heart. God hears our prayers and knows our needs. He is not a vengeful Father. “For what Father would give His son a snake when asked for a fish?” (Luke 11:11) God wants to give you His blessings. “I came to give life to the full.” (John 10:10) But, He also understands we can only handle certain blessings at certain times.
Don’t be like Hollis, trying to grab hold of a dream before God’s timing. “Wait on the Lord. Be strong a courageous.” (Psalm 27:14) God will not hold back the blessings He has for you.
“No eye has seen, nor ear has heard, the blessings God has in store for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
