Listen to ME!

Happy first day of Spring! and oh my….it actually feels like Spring might happen!!! I even saw a little hint of green in the backyard. I also saw a squirrel run up on the front porch to bury a nut in one of our flower pots. Yes the woodland creatures will be returning to the Reimer’s before long.

Have you seen or heard of the wildly popular Youtube video of Mateo, a little 3 year old who is filmed by his mom, arguing with him over a cupcake. Our daughter sent it to us last week and since then it has gone viral. It has been watched over 3 million times. I take credit for quite a few of those.

If you haven’t seen it, this little guy is persistent in pleading his case for why he has not been disobedient about a cupcake that mom had already said no to. Apparently he took it to a higher court. Grandma. He has a good defense, pointing out that at Grandma’s house he can have anything and it is ok. Makes sense to me.

Throughout the video, he waves his hands; emphatically, dramatically and adamantly standing his ground. When mom tells him he is not listening to her, he puts his hands on his hips and says,with eyes half closed, “You’re not listening to me” right back.

Well, the kid is adorable and the mom is consistent and I have had a good laugh every time I watch it.

But in my heart, I kind of think of how un-cute this is when I do it.

And I do….with Russ. With our children. With friends. With co-workers. With God.

When I think I am right, and you are wrong and you are possibly wronging or misunderstanding me. I have been known to close my eyes and wave my hands in the air and say in my own way …. “Honey, honey, listen to me. LISTEN TO ME!” And with all my hand waving and eye closing, I stop listening to whoever is not agreeing with me about what I am passionate about.

When I pull this with people, I am downright frustrating.

When I pull it with God, I am downright sinning. While He invites me to come to Him and open my heart and spill it out, at no point does He give me leeway to wave my hands at Him and try to convince Him to see things my way. Yeah, me telling God that He’s not listening to me? Not a good idea.

And come to think of it, He probably doesn’t really care too much when I pull it with His people….

So, I am hoping with a good dose of “Linda, Linda, Honey, Honey” in my memory; the next time I find myself arguing with ANYONE,even if it is just in my head, I pray God yanks my eyes and ears open and removes my hands from my hips and opens my heart to listen.