Monday, April 7, 2014

Momentary Pleasures


I was at the hair salon, sitting under the dryer when a lady came in with three little ones, under the age of 2.  (I believe she might have been babysitting).  She’s getting one of the babies’ a haircut, while the other two, a boy and a girl are just walking around. 

The little boy sees a plant. And I could see in his eyes him debating on whether or not he is going to touch it.  It’s colorful, has texture; looks pretty interesting to him.  He goes over to it and just stands there looking at it. Almost like he is listening (or not) for his next move.  He reaches out his hand to touch it.  I could see the curiosity all over his face.  He turns his head to glance at his caretaker to see if she sees him.  He doesn’t look for anyone else; totally oblivious to me watching him just a couple of feet away.  What seems to matter most to him, is whether or not the one that is taking care of him is looking.  She’s not.  He goes for it, putting his hand out to touch it.  She makes a move and he draws back, pulling away.  He watches her and she looks away.  He goes for it again, this time touching it, admiring its texture, how it feels and how it looks.  He is really into it… it’s written all over his face.  And all that seems to matter to him at this point is how much he enjoys it.

The caretaker catches a glimpse of him and begins to walk towards him.  She sees what he is doing, but this time he doesn’t seem to care and he doesn’t pull away.  He keeps on touching in, enjoying every moment, while staring directly in her face as she makes her way to him.  It felt too good to let go and he doesn’t, until she comes and snatches him away from it. 

As I was sitting there watching that little boy, I heard the Lord speak… just how much we are like this little boy sometimes.  We have a caretaker, too.  God.  We’re under His watchful eye, all the time.  And we know that.  Yet and still when we see something that catches our eye, that catches our attention, though we are hesitant at first, knowing that our Caretaker is watching over us and it may not be pleasing to Him, our desire for that thing overcomes what we know and we go for it.  Not caring whose watching, oblivious to who sees it. Touching it, feeling it, admiring it, (whatever that it may be) every moment of it, as long as we can.  No longer from a distance.  Up close.  Front and center.  At first, trying not to get caught, yet yielding to the desire and knowing that if we do, we are going to have fun doing it.  Until our Caretaker comes and snatches us away.  Only thing is though, if He has to do it, it’s going to hurt.  Ouch!  (We need to check ourselves before God does).

Our momentary pleasures are just that, momentary.  While the consequences of that moment, last a lot longer and hurt.

God is real.

Be blessed.

A servant of the Lord,
Sis. E