Stubborn as a Toddler

I don't have kids yet, but I've been around many a toddler who, despite the loving prodding of a parent, digs his or her heels into the sand and refuses to budge on an issue.  No matter what the parent says or does, the toddler doesn't want to hear, and so he or she starts yelling and crying and carrying on.  You know, the Pharisees were sort of acting like that in the text for today.  They had an opinion, and they wouldn't budge from it, regardless of what anyone tried to tell them.

We do that often as well.  Sometimes we develop an opinion on an issue, and refuse to be swayed otherwise.  A few of the youth and I have a little joke when we disagree...we say, "I respect your opinion, but you're wrong!" Ha, how arrogant and stubborn one would be if that was their real mentality...how patronizing.  However, thoughts like this can creep into our heads about certain things in the church (pews vs chairs, traditional worship vs contemporary, bulletins vs screens, standing for prayer vs kneeling, piano vs organ, red vs white wine, etc.) and can serve as distractions as we seek a true and sincere faith...an intimate relationship with the Almighty.

During this season of Lent, Lord, help us to focus on growing closer to you.  Help us to remove the obstacles that we put in our own way. AMEN