“Big lion. Big net. Big, big trouble.”
The Lion and the Mouse is an early reader book by Gail Herman and retells one of Aesop’s fables. A powerful lion catches a mouse, which begs the beast to free him in exchange for returning the favor one day. When a net later traps the lion, the mouse chews through it and frees him. Because the lion trusted the mouse’s pledge, the lion’s life was spared.
My yellow Lab, Lady, is a loyal and trusting dog. We walk the beach on most mornings. I unleash her because I trust her not to wander too far, and she trusts me to watch should her sand-sniffing ADHD kick in. She also trusts that when she spots Karen, she will have treats.
One day as we began our trek back home, Lady bolted back down the beach. Out of fear—certainly not because a run was high on my agenda—I took after her but quickly lost sight of her. A four-year-old Lab and a sixty-two-year-old woman are not exactly well matched in the sprinting department. Two blocks later, I saw she had stopped and patiently waited for a treat from Karen.
Trust is tricky. The lion wanted to trust the mouse’s offer, even though there was no guarantee. Lady trusted that Karen had a treat. Peter walked on water because he trusted Jesus. Until he didn’t. Then he sank.
Fear is one of the biggest impediments to trust. In Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, she compares the mind and a seesaw: “As your trust in Me goes up, fear and worry automatically go down.”
My fear factor has risen exponentially as my children have grown into adults. But I know no amount of handwringing, begging, negotiating, manipulating, or controlling will work. The only superpower I possess is trusting in God and His purpose for their lives.
Where in the seesaw of your mind can you tip the balance from fear to trust? How can you call on ultimate trust and commit to God’s plan for your life or someone you love?
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Michelle Page is a married mother of three adult children and one recently gained daughter-in-law. As a retired kindergarten teacher, she enjoys crafting, volunteering, and cooking. Ministry has been a huge part of her life, and she enjoys reading devotionals that inspire and keep her faith strong. She aspires to one day publish a book of her own.