It was a cheap toy. I’m still not quite sure where we got it, but this little, lime-green spinning top was Caleb’s favorite toy.
At three years old, he couldn’t spin it. Every now and then, he’d ask us to spin it for him. He enjoyed watching it balance and spin almost miraculously on its tip. You could tell from the expression of his face that he really wanted to know how that thing worked. Even more, he wanted to learn to spin it himself one day.
It was early in the morning when Caleb came running into my office. “Daddy?” he asked. “Will you spin it for me?”
I stopped what I was doing and spun the cheap toy a few times. As before, his eyes were glued to this spinning object. Occasionally, he would turn to me and smile and giggle.
“I wanna spin it,” asked the curious three-year-old. I took his hand in mine and showed him how to snap his fingers. With my hand over his, I went through the motions of grasping the top’s handle between the fingers.
Then, I sat back and watched him try.
He fumbled around with the top a few times. Then, with one smooth motion, he spun the top. I was surprised! He was surprised! We both started shouting, “Yeah!” It was an exciting time.
For most, it may have been no big deal. For my son and me, it was a special time. A time of teaching, a time of learning. Most of all, it was a time of rejoicing.
Life is very similar. We have so many things we fumble around with, unable to do because of inexperience or even fear. Yet, our Father takes our hands and our heart and gently goes through the motions with us. He shows us how to do those things we kept telling ourselves we can’t do. He shows us how to spin those tops.
But, God doesn’t stop there. Just as me and my son shouted with excitement, your Father rejoices with you in your victories. His heart leaps with yours as you put into motion what your Father has taught you.
“Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O LORD…” (Ps 94:12a).
Prayer: Father, I’ve been fumbling too long with the things of my life. Please take my hands into your hands, my heart into your heart, and let’s spin the things of life together. I will trust you.
