I have decided as I look at my adorable, yet incredibly frustrating children that they are like a tiny mirror into the soul. I love them more than my own life, but they are selfish little things while they’re young, and as I watch their primitive behavior that serves only to meet their every need, I am reminded how we all started this way. We all still have this self-serving attitude within us, and perhaps let it rise to the surface a little more than we’d care to admit to anyone, especially ourselves. So take a look at ten ways you’re like a little kid. I’ll bet you see yourself in at least one of these.
- You refuse to let others care for you. You refuse someone else’s help even when you really need it, and especially when they know what is best for you.
Parent: You have poop on you. I’m going to clean it off now.
Little kid/baby: I don’t know what you’re talking about! Ohhh… What’s that on my butt? Here, let me put my hand down there and see. Yuck! Poop. Now I must fling it around to make it look like I’m not bothered by all this doodoo on my hand!
We may not want to admit it, but sometimes we get in deep doodoo. We are full of it. We could really use the help of someone else, but we insist on trying to clean things up all by ourselves. Inevitably we make an even bigger mess.
Keep in mind, everyone needs help sometimes. Especially when it’s a big ole mess. Don’t be too proud to let someone else take over and clean things up when you’re unable.
- This leads us right into number two because it really deserves it’s own bullet. You just continue to make a mess of things. So you know what you’re doing is wrong. You’ve been told “No,” but you keep doing it anyway.
Parent: I said no! No you cannot get into my makeup! It is not for you!
Little kid: Ok. So I see your mouth moving, but all I’m hearing is blah, blah, blah. I’m going to pull out this mascara and stick it in my mouth because eating makeup is awesome. Please go away and just let me poison myself with your cosmetics.
You got something in your life that just tempts you like mommy’s makeup to a baby. It’s off limits, but it’s fun. You know you’re not supposed to, but you figure it can’t really hurt anything. So even though you’ve been told no, you just persist on getting into the same kind of trouble over and over. News flash. Your momma is the only one who isn’t going to kill you for getting into trouble over and over, and she’s pretty close to it. Continuing to get into stuff you know is wrong, well, it’s going to poison you. Eventually you’ll pay the consequences if you don’t quit.
- You cry when you don’t get your way. We live in a world of immediate gratification, and unlimited resources to give ourselves pleasure. When we don’t get things when we want them, how we want them, we flip out.
Little kid: I wanna go to the water park!!
Parent: It’s below freezing and they’re calling for an ice storm tonight. That’s not possible.
Kids breaks into hysterics over broken dreams to splash about in chlorinated waters and feast on overpriced park food.
You don’t always get what you want. I repeat, you don’t always get what you want. Deal with it, and move on. God must have something better in mind for you. Feel free to cry a little. If you need a shoulder to lean on, please refer to #1, and remember it’s okay to ask for help. Now that you’ve gotten that out of your system, pull yourself together, and stop subjecting the rest of us to your tantrum. Stop crying when you don’t get your way.
- Fear. Ahhh. This is a big one gang. We all get scared. We hate to admit it, but we do.
Little kid: What’s that noise? Can you turn the light on? I can’t, I’m scared!
Parent: There is nothing to be afraid of my child. I am here.
I love that this is always and forever true! There is no fear in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
This is the hardest thing to accept, but we have no need to fear, no reason to be afraid.
- You vie for attention. We all want to feel special. We want to be the most loved of all. We will do whatever we can to make this happen.
Little kid: I see Mommy is on the phone. I am dying a little inside with her blatant ignorance of my needs. I shall break that vase over there in defiance, or perhaps spill an entire box of cereal in the floor in front of her so she knows I need a hug.
Parent: Screams. You are making me lose my mind. Go to your room. I’m on the phone!
I’m not sure what it is inside us that desires the attention and affections of another, but we were made for relationships, so I believe it was God given. I just think we’ve distorted it along the way. Instead of being equal partners in a relationship of love, we often wish to outshine the other, and feel like they are obligated to give us 100% while we give a minimal 20% or so. This will never pan out as we imagined. We can’t always be center stage. Sometimes sharing the limelight makes for the best production.
- You hit others when you’re mad. Since we all want to get our way and be the center of attention, naturally when this doesn’t happen we lash out. Maybe we’re afraid of losing something or someone. Whatever the motivation, when confronted with resistance to our desired outcome we often respond incorrectly.
Little kid: The baby always gets held. This vexes me so. Next time they put her down, I’m going to bop her on the head with this book. Perhaps then she will learn to share mommy’s affections with me.
Parent: Screams. Why did you hit your sister?! Go to your room!
Are you seeing the pattern of not getting what you intended? People are going to hurt you. It’s inevitable. They may not even mean to, but they will have things you don’t have, complete goals you find impossible, find love when you can’t seem to find it, accomplish dreams you can only imagine. You can’t change these things, but you can change how you respond. You can’t lash out in anger. It makes you feel better, but only momentarily. You have to worry about you. Not anyone else. Striking out against others never solves anything.
- Which brings us to number seven. You want what someone else has. No one ever seems satisfied with what they have. They want more, and they especially want what they see someone else holding.
Little kid: While I wasn’t playing with that doll, and perhaps I might even have forgotten about it, now that I see my sister playing with it, I want it. I want it bad. I shall bop her on the head with this toy I am holding until she relinquishes the doll.
I’m sure I don’t even need to tell you how the parent responds this time. You already know. We can’t live our life desiring the possessions of another. It doesn’t make you happy. It only fools you into thinking you don’t have anything. You completely forget about the fabulous doll you’re already playing with. In the end it usually just gets you in trouble, and you end up not having anything to play with.
- This brings us to number eight. You want the coveted toy, you want the attention, you want it all because you think You’re the most important thing in the world.
Little kid: So I know Mom is rocking the baby to sleep, but I really need these fruit snacks opened ASAP. Like if I don’t taste a delicious snack on my tongue right this second I might just wither away and die.
Parent: Silently tries to mouth a scream of “go away.” Fails miserably. Baby wakes up. Repeat of above reaction.
No one likes to admit this one, but we all hold a little bit, maybe a lot, of selfishness inside us. We think our problem is most important. Our need trumps everyone else’s. We need to be in the front of the line because we need attended to ASAP. This is so wrong. God teaches us to serve others before ourselves. We are to be the least. Then He can lift us up.
- So then we get to this one. We think little things are big things. You know what I’m talking about. It’s when you get a parking ticket or a flat tire and freak out like your favorite puppy just died.
Little kid: My cartoon has ended. I wanted to watch it longer, but now it is over. I’m not sure I can go on in such a cruel world where Bubble Guppies does not play 24 hours a day. I will cry hysterically now until the show magically resumes playing.
Parent: Runs into room. “What happened? Why are you crying?” Looks for blood. “Are you okay?!”
Relax. Take a deep breath. Now ask yourself, “Is this really worth having a nervous breakdown about? Will this impact your life significantly or that of your family?” If the answer is no, then you need to refer back to number three and stop crying.
- I think we all need to admit this one. You just want someone to hold you. Everybody reaches the end of their rope and needs to crawl into someone’s lap, have their hair stroked, and be told, “It’s going to be okay.”
Little kid: I am so tired. I have been fighting the urge to nap for hours. My favorite show just went off. My little sister has my favorite doll. Mom’s been on the phone all day. I need to be held! Like now!
Parent: “Come here sweetie. Mommy loves you so much.” She holds her, although selfish, completely precious little angel, that she loves more than anything, in her lap and gives her complete comfort.
Everyone, I repeat everyone reaches a point where they can’t go any further. They can fight no longer. They just need to rest and be comforted.
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
That is all 🙂