Zay, my sweetest snuggle bug who has evolved into a spitfire ball of energy and questions, is constantly doing disgusting things.  Par for the course in the life of a three year old boy, I suppose.

This week it was, “Don’t lick that standing water!”

“Don’t open the toilet seat with your flashlight!  Don’t close it either… just don’t touch the toilet seat.  With anything!”

“Don’t play in the dirty laundry!”

“Don’t touch that poopy diaper!  Why do I even have to say that?”

His answer is always, “Why?”

Par for the course, right?

As he grows with me, and walks in step with me, he learns what he should and should not do.  What is acceptable and when.

I can’t help but think of my relationship with Father, as my boy looks to me and tests me to see if he can lick sitting water off of the trampoline.  Don’t I do just the same thing?

Trying to obey and do the right thing.  Growing in understanding of what I should and shouldn’t do.  Trying hard to be intentional about what I’m around, what I see and who I talk to.  And how I interact with the world around me.  Looking to God with much prayer for much needed direction.

Phillips Brooks has been quoted saying, “The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is.”

The longer I walk with Him, the more I see that  “all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6A NIV).  Not because I’m this gross, dirty thing, but because my best, in comparison with Perfection, pales.  Significantly.

The longer I am in relationship with Him, the more I realize how many questions I have.  For I have much to learn.  And much to grow in.