My 6-month old has become mobile. Not “if you give him enough time, he’ll cross the floor” mobile. No. He’s “where’d he go” mobile. Yesterday, I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom and he had made it into the room with me. Naturally, I was glad to have him in the room with me, and took some care to ensure that he didn’t make the toilet his new friend. But as I rinsed my mouth and dried my hands, I looked back to find him playing with his new toy – the toilet brush.
And as I picked him up and took it away from him (kids have a heck of a grip), he cried. Not a whimper. Not a pout. He sobbed. Because I took away something that could only affect him negatively.
Toilet-brushes are lousy toys because the only possible outcome of playing with one is to get covered in crap. Now, granted, it’s not visible, but the germs are there.
“Then why not just throw the toilet-brush away?” you might ask. Because it has a purpose. It is a lousy toy, but a great tool to keep the toilet clean.
1 Corinthians 10:23
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.
I think this picture speaks well of Paul’s words to the Corinthians. God has given us some wonderful things to enjoy in this world – but they all have a very specific context in which they are intended to be used. When we play with or interact with those items/actions/emotions outside of their intended context, we have a tendency to get covered in all sorts of crap – even if at times it’s invisible.
So much of Christianity is about finding balance in Christian liberty and legalism. We have to walk in wisdom and discretion, but we are free to enjoy the gifts given to us by our heavenly Father.
What are some toilet brushes that you’ve had to put away and stop playing with?
Great analogy!
I am the first of my siblings to have kids, and some of them seem to think it’s wrong that we put gates up. I’m sure they will eventually realize the necessity to put up boundaries which are ultimately protecting our kids, not unlike ones that God gives us. They are for a reason: because he loves us and wants to protect us. Sometimes it’s hard to convince little kids that it’s for their own protection! We have two girls: 2 and 4. Good luck!
it’s amazing to think how good of a parent i thought i was before i had kids. but more amazing than that is to consider how much we learn of God as our Father through our own short-comings and failures as parents…