A Teacup Teaching
The other night, I was preparing dinner when my two-year-old daughter came running into the kitchen carrying a pink teacup wrapped in plastic, excitedly yelling, “Mama, cup!” Ugh, I thought to myself, she finally realized there were toys still in boxes from Christmas in her room. I had hoped to leave some things unopened, saving them for a day when we really needed new entertainment, particularly this one since she already had a tea set. She was so excited though, and I couldn’t deny her. I wiped my hands and removed the plastic from the cup while she bounced, laughed, and cheered, “Yay! Cup!” I handed it back to her, and she ran off back to her room. Soon she was back with another piece. We went through the same process–me pausing to unwrap, her celebrating the gift–over and over and over again until every last cup, saucer, and spoon was opened.
This was one small, seemingly insignificant moment, but I knew, even as it was happening, that it would stick with me–that there was something in it I was supposed to see. The more I’ve reflected on it over this past month, the more these three things have stood out to me.
God’s Takes Delight in us as His Children
I was reminded that God takes delight in us as His children.
“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5)
As I watched my daughter, I sensed that this moment was a small window into how God feels about us as His children. Just as we love our children and take joy in witnessing their joy, He delights even more in us, choosing us as His own.
God Knows How to Give Good Gifts
In this story with my daughter, I could have been frustrated by the interruption (and have been in the past), but to be honest, seeing her excitement was contagious. I couldn’t wait to see what she’d bring to me next, to watch how she would react. As a parent, it made me happy to see her so happy, and it was no burden to do something for her when it was so clearly appreciated. It reminded me of Matthew 7:11 where Jesus says, “If you as sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
So if you are believing God for something, you can trust Him with it. He knows how to give good gifts, and it brings Him pleasure to do so.
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23
The Importance of Being Content
At the same time, we have to balance belief and contentment–to not lose sight of the things we have while waiting for the next promise to be fulfilled. In today’s society, particularly with the prevalence of social media, it’s become very easy to see all the things everyone else has, where everyone else is going, and what everyone else is doing. Before we realize it’s happening, our mindset has shifted to discontentment really quickly. Sometimes it’s even more discreet–we set goals or have things we’re believing God for, and we become overly focused on them instead of God and the goodness He’s already given us.
So, we have to consciously choose to stay in a place of contentment and thanks. Paul reminds us of this very thing in 1 Timothy 6:6-8 when he writes, “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”
Jesus speaks to the disciples in Luke 12, telling them not to be concerned about acquiring earthly possessions or worried about daily life. God will take care of His children, and it brings Him “great happiness to give them the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
I think this was the thing that stood out to me most from this exchange with my daughter. She found such joy in these little things, and it didn’t matter that they were things she already had. She appreciated them anyway, and each tiny spoon was met with equal enthusiasm. This is now my reminder that the next time I start cataloging all the things I want to do, become, or acquire, I’ll stop and catalog all the ways God has already blessed me, even the little things.