I’ve tried to be more like Jesus’s mother Mary with our last child Maya Analina. Be more intentional about pondering things in my heart, to notice and be in awe of the ways in which God’s Spirit is at work in her and through her.
And, God is awakening me to the many small miracles every day with Maya: the beauty in her smile, how determined she is to learn new things and how proud she is of her achievement, the squeal of delight (a new thing she’s discovered in the last couple of days) when I am preparing her food or filling her sippy cup with milk, the sheer joy of discovering and studying something new (anything, a pen, a flower, a rock).
One of the things I have noticed more recently is her innate gift of compassion and tenderness. Maybe all babies are born with this. I honestly don’t remember with my first two – it was all such a blur! But Maya seems to know who in the room is struggling the most, or having a rough day, and she is naturally drawn to that person. Whether it her momma feeling under the weather, or one of her brothers having a tough day, or a friend of mine who came by to chat and who continues to struggle with an abusive husband, or a partner in ministry struggling with discouragement, or another friend who came to church with us yesterday and is struggling with an incurable disease and in order to be able to pay her medical bills has had to leave her children in her mountain village and come and work in the city. These were all people she encouraged just this last week!
I have seen how the person in need, in a more vulnerable state, seems more open to the gift, and Maya senses their need and acceptance of her, so she opens herself up to them, allowing them to hold her, to play with her, and through her laughter and smiles, she brings out the laughter in smiles in them, and in all of us who are present to this sacred moment.
I imagine this is how our Heavenly Father is with us, too, drawing near to those who are brokenhearted, those who are vulnerable in in of His love, and with a warm, tender embrace draws us near and fills our wounded, tired hearts with laughter and joy. What a gift life and the Giver of life are to us! May be be fully present to them both.
