A Story And A Mouth Full Of Minty Foam

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The other day I was in the bathroom for my morning routine of washing my face, brushing my teeth, etc. Ruben (my son) was already dressed with teeth cleaned, so he was in the living room getting out his toys to start a day of carefree playing and potty training. Life is so much simpler when you're nearly 3 years old.

Just as I started brushing my teeth I heard Ruben calling from the living room: "Pappa, can you weed me a tohwy!?" (Translation: Daddy, can you read me a story?)

I was caught with a toothbrush gently carressing my molars and a mouth full of minty foam, so I couldn't answer him straight away. He obviously repeated the question... in exactly the same way... with exactly the same intonation.

"Pappa, can you weed me a tohwy!?"

"Pappa, can you weed me a tohwy!?"

"Pappa, can you weed me a tohwy!?"

"Pappa, can you weed me a tohwy!?"

"Pappa, can you weed me a tohwy!?"

This continued at a steady tempo, almost metronome-like. I was pretty impressed with his time-keeping and started wondering if he might make a career out of drumming one day.

When I still didn't give an answer his request intensified slightly with each repetition. It reached a climax just as I spat out the last mouthful of rinsing water:

"PAPPA CAN YOU WEED ME A TOOOOOOHHWYYYYYY!?"

"Yes!" I replied in a slightly annoyed way. "I'm just brushing my teeth!"

So I left the bathroom, sat on the living room couch, picked up the book and read it to him as he contentedly sat looking at the pictures from the comfort of the space between my arm and my ribcage. Snug as a bug in a rug. Or a chick under a mother hen's wing.

This trivial episode in a fairly common morning routine reminded me of what the Bible says in Luke 18:1:

"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

It also reminded me of Matthew 19:14b:

"Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Ruben's persistence and innocence reminded me of these two verses. It also reminded me that this is exactly the way the Father wants us to approach Him: naïvely and constantly. We may not get what we want immediately when we ask for it. But this is not a reflection on God's love for us; just as my love for Ruben can't be measured by an inability to answer him while brushing my teeth. 

God always loves, always cares, always longs for us to be with him and to come with all our requests, just as we are. And to do so until we get a response or reaction. I like the acronym PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens. It's what Jesus told His disciples to do. That's what He expects of us too.

Selah.

Photo by Alex on Unsplash

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