Around our house, we have what we call the “Fernandez Fifteen”. We set the timer and everyone cleans as hard and as fast as they can for fifteen minutes. This is a usual occurrence; but, the last time we did this I watched my boys react to this short amount of time, and I was reminded how important my attitude can be. I stood in the kitchen washing dishes and could see and hear everything going on in the parts of the house that were being cleaned on this round of the Fernandez Fifteen. As I washed dishes and cleaned the kitchen I saw 3 very distinct attitudes emerge.
One kid has learned the art of sucking it up and getting the job done. He very quickly, very unhappily, often complaining as he works, gets his area cleaned so that he can get back to whatever he was doing before. This time was no different.
Another one of our boys drags his fifteen minutes out to thirty or sometimes forty minutes because he ALWAYS has to go to the bathroom, then he needs a drink, then he needs food. He is full of excuses. Every. Single. Time. I assume he thinks that he will get out of cleaning if he drags his feet. By now, you would think that he would realize that he still has to do his part. And like usual he ended up fussing and fighting and in trouble instead of just doing his job.
Then, in the middle of fussing at the one to quit griping, arguing with the other that “Yes, time is up, but since you were in the bathroom for ten of the fifteen minutes you still have to work.” My three-year-old came running through the living room yelling, “Here I come to put my toys away! I will help clean! I will put the shoes away!” He was full of joy and excitement to work with the rest of us. In his mind, we could not get the house clean without his help and he was full of pride to do his part. He spent his fifteen minutes working as hard as his little legs and arms would let him and enjoying every minute.
Later that evening, as I was rocking boy number four to sleep I starting thinking about how often I react just like this to the things that God asks me to do. You see, God asks me to do things on a daily basis that I simply don’t want to do. Sometimes the things he asks me to do are hard, scary or even impossible. I have a choice at that point as to how I react to the task He has called me to.
I could be like the first kid: get up and do the job with the sole purpose of getting the job done – griping and complaining the whole way. But, then I miss out on the joy and excitement of being a part of something bigger than me! Daniel would have never experienced spending the night in a lions' den, watching God shut the mouths of hungry lions had he not been faithful to continue to pray even though he was commanded not to with a penalty of death – come on, that had to be AWESOME.
I could be like my second and do everything in the world to get out of doing what He’s asked me to do. However, just like with my son the consequences of that attitude are usually not good.
But I pray my reaction mirrors the one of the last. You see my three-year-old got the job done as effectively as everyone else, but he experienced a level of joy that the rest missed out on. Not only did he act in joy, he filled the rest of us with joy watching him.
All three boys were doing the same job, but they each had a different experience doing it. The only difference was the attitude that was brought to the job.
I pray I come running to the things that God calls me to with enthusiasm and anticipation of the great things God has in store for me.
