Helping a child or grandchild put together a set of LEGOs can be both a humbling and an enlightening experience. I’m not sure why children love LEGOs so much, but I think it has something to do with the feeling of accomplishment they experience when the task is completed. These are really cool, three-dimensional puzzles. Unlike so many projects outside the reach of their capabilities, these are specially designed for their tiny little fingers. I must admit that my larger, somewhat clumsy, hands and my less-than-perfect eyesight puts me at a decided disadvantage.
While I am conditioned to a “one-step-at-a-time” philosophy, their active little minds experience no such limitation. While completing one step they are already looking ahead to the next.
This occasionally gets them into trouble. But, their mistake is quickly discovered and corrected, while their older, more experienced, counterpart is still reading the instructions. Generally speaking, my presence is in a supervisory capacity. I am a cheerleader and a voice of encouragement. Occasionally, I am needed to put on a sticker, referee a sibling confrontation, or slow the mad-dash to a more manageable level.
Then, comes the familiar question: “What were LEGOs like when you were growing up?” Teachable moment? Perhaps. Things have changed. But, not our need for working together toward a common goal. What will our children or grandchildren remember about their “growing up” years? It will be the time spent together building meaningful relationships. Each of these relationships will be different, each bearing its own distinctive, familial DNA.
God did not design the family merely to exist, but to function in accordance with the wonderful and grand design revealed in His word. Building relationships in accordance with these principles can be a humbling task. But, we are up to the challenge because of the One we called to sit beside us, offering counsel and encouragement along the way. To the extent that we lean upon Him, following clearly established biblical priorities, we will be able to look back with tear-moistened eyes at what the Lord has accomplished through us. In the final analysis, we acknowledge, as did Solomon, that “Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it” (Ps. 127:1).
–Glen Elliott–