I’m not sure what sparked the conversation, but a buddy
asked me about my growing up years the other day.
I don’t really have much of a memory when it comes to the
past. I guess that’s why I haven’t talked too much about the specifics. In
fact, I had to really concentrate to remember the sequence of houses I lived
in.
“I realized that I
don’t know very much about what your life was like as a kid,” he said. “Like,
did you ride a bicycle?”
I did, for the record.
I remember riding a little banana-seat number down this
crazy steep hill between the house my parents rented and Mrs. Trotter’s, the
neighbor directly behind us. I was
seven, maybe eight and was proud of my bravery.
Fast forward 45 years. I’m on a daddy-daughter dessert date,
and reminiscing. I drove us out to the house I lived in all those years ago,
and was immediately disoriented.
I remember the dirt road leading to my house as long and
straight. It was barely a couple of car lengths. I remember there was this
massive, ivy-covered granite boulder outcrop in front of Mrs. Trotter’s house.
I almost drove past it; it was so much smaller than I remembered. And there was
the hill—my
brave, bicycle hill. It wasn’t steep at all. I’m not sure it would even qualify
as a hill.
When you are young, or small or innocent, life is a little like the
objects in your rearview mirror. They’re not closer than they appear, but they
sure seem bigger. As you grow, they do not; and, with time, comes perspective:
That long road isn’t so long after all. That immovable granite boulder isn’t so
massive. That mountain that required courage wasn’t so steep. And, the only
thing that changed was time. Sure, I grew a few inches, but I’m a short guy. I
didn’t grow 10 feet.
The difference was maturity, experience and perspective.
I just wonder how many opportunities I missed because they seemed
impossible at the time. How many times have I let fear stand in my way, when,
if I could revisit that day now, I would find there was nothing to be afraid
of?
I’ve grown up hearing the story of Jesus explaining this concept to
his disciples. They asked why they could not cast out demons. His answer?
“It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, if you
have faith the size of a mustard seed you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from
here to there,’ and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you.”
There is no record of the disciples ever moving mountains. So,
somehow, I don’t think it was the mountains that changed. The difference is in
the disciple. As we mature and experience more of life abiding in Christ, our
faith grows, our ability to believe increases. The mountains don’t move or get
smaller. Our faith gets bigger, and we see things in the perspective of truth.
So here’s the question: Given what you know now, what opportunity or
regret do you need to revisit?
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