Giving Yourself Room To Grow

A few years ago, I noticed that my son Caleb had unusually large feet for someone his age.  I asked him what size shoe he wore, and he said “a 12.”  I was curious, surprised and suspicious all at once--because that’s the same size that I wear, even though I am 35 years older than he is!   To satisfy my curiosity, calm my surprise and quench my suspicions, I asked him to send me a picture of his feet and his sneakers (with the tongue turned up so I could see the size). 

The results of my investigation were even more surprising.  His feet were—well…umm, definitely a 12.  But the sneakers?  The size on the label read 14.  Initially, it didn’t make sense.  Was he a size 12 or a size 14?

After some consideration, a theory to explain the apparent contradiction presented itself.  It finally occurred to me what had happened.  Caleb had been growing at such a rapid pace, that his mother wisely decided to buy him some shoes that were too big, so that he could grow into them. 

Her decision was both an acknowledgement of his growth, and an investment in his future. 

It also helped me understand why Caleb sometimes tripped as he walked:  his shoes were too big. 

The scriptures inform us that God employs the same strategy in His dealing with us.  In Deuteronomy 6:10-12, Moses informs the descendants of slaves of some exciting news.  He says to them:

The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. you will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant.

I am compelled to remind you that contrary to conventional wisdom, you aren't always going to have to work for everything you get, nor will you have to imitate the strategies or endure the sacrifices of others to achieve a similar level of success.  God is gracious, and he consistently puts us in situations that we don’t always have the skills or the savvy to manage.   God consistently puts us in situations, relationships, and gives us opportunities that we are not prepared for! 

Yes, the shoes you are in right now may be too big.  Some of you may be thinking:

I don’t know how to do this…

I don’t know how to be married

I don’t know how to date again.

I don’t know how to be a parent

I don’t know how to manage this much money

I don’t know how to clean this large a house

I don’t know how not to worry

I don’t know how to be the boss

I don’t know how to enjoy this much freedom.

Well, some of your training will be on the job.  You're going to have to learn how to do it while you're in it!

But please don’t allow the opportunity to overwhelm you! When you find yourself in a situation that may seem “too big” for you, realize that the situation is “an acknowledgement of your growth, and an investment in your future. 

And you can also expect to trip up from time to time. 

But keep the shoes on.

And keep walking.