A Dribble of Milk

An image popped into my head the other day: a toddler drinking from a “sippy cup” with a dribble of milk running down his chin. I was sure that this needed to be a blog, but I didn’t know why the thought occurred to me or what I was supposed to write. Then the words of the psalmist came to mind – “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) – and it started to make sense. A toddler just enjoys the milk and the moment. The dribble of milk is of no concern whatsoever. It’s the parent who is worried about making a mess or being judged for the child’s “sloppiness,” so it’s the parent who is wiping up the dribble. In your leadership, when is the last time that you enjoyed something like this toddler? How long has it been since you were able to genuinely taste and see that the Lord is good? My fear is that it’s been too long. I know that there is a good reason (or lots of reasons) for this. After all, the toddler has no responsibilities. It’s someone else’s job to look after him and care for him. He doesn’t have to care for anyone. Not so for leaders in ministry and other settings. They do have responsibilities. They are expected to lead and shepherd and care for others. When they make a mess, there are real consequences, and there may not be someone standing by to clean it up. I am not suggesting that you abdicate your responsibilities. But I am suggesting that there should be times when you aren’t carrying that heavy burden, when you can just enjoy God’s goodness. I don’t know what those moments look like for you, but you do. They may be focused on your relationship with God – through reading or prayer or worship. Or they may be more about resting in God, knowing that He will keep the world spinning on its axis while you take a break. Let me simply encourage you to find your sippy cup and to not worry about the dribble of milk. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>