Psalm 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

Yesterday we were speaking of toddlers and today I would like to continue with that image. We know that we want to encourage babes in Christ to grow. The image of walking hand in hand with a child that is just beginning to walk is implanted firmly on the minds of parents.

As they become more steady in their skills at walking they do not want to hold your hand any longer. I can remember a time when mine would jerk their hand away. They didn’t want to just walk, they wanted to run. This is the natural progression of the physical aspects of being human. What is it in the spirit?

Walk, don’t run.

Now we are no longer speaking of learning but rather relationship. Just as husband and wife walk hand in hand in love, walk with our Lord, hand in hand. In the spirit it is exactly like husband and wife walking together. There is no pulling away, there is nothing and no one that comes between you and your Lord in the spirit.

We can and do often want to take the lead and direct our walk as our eyes look ahead or are distracted by things around us. Comfort causes us to stop staring into the eyes of our love. While comfort is a good thing, it should not be forgotten we are walking with the Lord of our lives. We do not lead but sense in the spirit His leading. We do not just follow Jesus we walk in the spirit in lock step. Only our stubborn willfulness will interfere with this walk in the spirit.

Romans 8:1,4 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Psalm 55:14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

Yesterday I spoke of the needs of our babes in Christ and our responsibilities towards them. As with all children, especially God’s children, walking is the next progressive step in growth. We are to walk with these toddlers and teach them how to walk. We will get into that shortly but first let us talk about one more aspect of growth in Christ that most would care not to deal with.

Babies make messes. While it makes them uncomfortable and they cry about it loudly, they are not yet in a position to clean up their own messes. They need help, support and understanding. You do not spank a baby for messing a diaper, it is an inevitable part of growth.

At some point in the growth process a child will learn how to control themselves. Until that time care must be exerted on our part not to make too much of a fuss over the mess. Remember this valuable lesson from my personal life experience, I was really bad at potty training. I had to call in someone with those skills.

This is why I began this session with Psalm 55:14, we take sweet counsel together. We do not all have the gifts required for every task. Our tendency is to take charge and full responsibility. In doing so we overreach and the toddler stumbles. A stumble is a natural thing, only we should not be the cause of the stumble.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

It isn’t easy being subject to a toddler but in humility look to their needs and not your own.