When Bob was in grad school at Indiana University, we lived in married-student housing. He used to call it “the finest in institutional living”…whatever. With three little kids in tow, I’m thankful we had good playground equipment right outside our door where, from all over the neighborhood (from all over the world, actually) children could congregate.
My friend (from Brazil) a few doors down had noticed that the sand under the monkey bars was needing replaced, and encouraged me to add my call with our other friends, since the U. had been very slow in responding to the request.
One day, I was out with our two youngest right before taking one of them to kindergarten. Robin has always been the climber; I should have put a football helmet on her the day she was born. So naturally, when she called to me to watch her new stunt on the bars, her landing was not exactly a “10”, and losing her balance, she hit her forehead on some exposed concrete (that should have been covered by new sand!)
On returning home from the ER with 4-5 sutures and a pending medical bill, I made a calculated phone call to the U. that we were still waiting for the sand, and informing them of the current turn of events.
The sand was there the next day (and I think it was even a weekend!)
In my phone conversation, I never used the word “sue”. I didn’t have to. Plus, not being litigious, I never intended to do that anyway. After all, Robin’s safety was primarily my responsibility. I had been told about the sand, I should have been closer to her to catch her, I should have inspected the area more carefully, etc. As her mother, I really had no excuse for her injury.
The information I needed for her care was available to me. It’s what I did with it (or didn’t do with it) that made the difference.
“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
No excuse! Ouch. No claim to victimhood. No lawsuit again the Almighty. No declarations of “unfair!” Someone wrote that, although we cannot know God exhaustively, we can know Him sufficiently. He has given us proof enough; in fact, in our day, even more proof than what Paul describes in the above passage! It is our arrogant pride that blinds us, and our slothful distractions that prevent what is eternally important.
BTW, by God’s good grace, all three of my children and I survived their childhood, (as well as their adolescence!)
Romans 1:20 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
INSPIRATION with an ATTITUDE 