WPTM #25: Selfish Praise

What Parenting Teaches Me #25: Selfish Praise

Noah has begun to sincerely experience and communicate gratitude lately.  When I allow something that he is excited about, when I relent and do not insist on something that he does not want, when I surprise him with fun and good things, he bubbles over with joy, gives me spontaneous hugs, and says, "I wuv you, Mommy!"  Other times he says, "You nice mommy!"  And I sure do grin to hear his sweet words, to see his excitement.  But I also know his gratitude is temporary and is more about his selfishness than it is about me.  Later on in the same day when I make him spend some quiet time in his room or scold him for something, I hear him mutter to himself, "Mommy mean!" or "I no wike Mommy!"

Hmmmmmm. Kids ...they sure do paint a clear picture of us grownups before the Lord, don't they?

Embarrassingly, I recognize myself and most Christians doing the same thing.  On a day that something goes right - when a loved one is healed, when a dramatic situation is resolved, when we are excited about some happy thing - it is easy to hear God's praise fly - "God is so mighty!"  "Our God is great!"  When I hear these true things lately, I sort of cringe because all I notice is the absence of such praise every other day of the week when it is no less true.  It makes the testimony seem like nothing more than fair-weather praise.  That is a shame to me because our God is mighty and our God is great even when a loved one dies, even when we are cheated, even when our hearts are broken, and even when we just plain don't get our way.  Ick - I hate to think of how I have approached the Lord and his praise in such a self-seeking way before.

Father, let your Spirit guide me in your praise even when the circumstances do not.  I don't want to approach you with a childish heart that is only gladdened in you when it gets its own way.  Your goodness is so much bigger and more perfect than that.