Obedience

I've started trying to teach Caleb what "no" means and to acknowledge me (by looking at me) when I speak to him. I thought since he can give me a "high five" or clap his hands when asked, I figured he can learn some simple commands.

I'll preface this by saying, I acknowledge that when he doesn't look at me at my request or listen to my "no", he's not disobeying me. At his age, he doesn't understand what it means to disobey and is simply learning what certain words mean...but I learned a lesson through it all the same.

Throughout my life as a Christian there have been things that I just get wrong a lot. I don't listen to the Holy Spirit's direction and simply do what I want instead. When I've consistently done something wrong, it's easy to just give up and think "I've done this too many times, God's so disappointed, why even try anymore." (or something along those lines). One thing I learned with Caleb is that even though he ackowledges and "obeys" me about half the time, I'm still so excited and proud of him when he does obey. When he doesn't look at me when I ask or when he touches the blinds even after telling him "no", I am of course disappointed. But that disappointment doesn't make me give up on him, nor does it make me any less pleased with him when he choses to listen and obey.

I think that's the way God is with us. Our mistakes and disobedience certainly disappoint Him, but it doesn't lessen His pleasure in our obedience later on.

My persistence will pay off with Caleb. God's persistence will pay off with me too.