My little girl is not particularly friendly or out going with people she doesn’t know well. I often have to encourage her to overcome her shyness or remind her to say hello. I have noticed, though, that she has several grown ups in her life who absolutely adore her as she adores them. It’s as if she has laps and arms and attention available to her whenever she should need them. We will be in a huge crowd of friends and I will look to see where she is, and where else would she be but in the arms of one of her favourites, tired from playing and just needing a little rest and a cuddle. These particular few read to her, play games, carry her, snuggle her into their laps, listen to her stories and questions, teach her, applaud her and just create a space for her that she can always run into. It’s the certainty of it that amazes me; the unspoken invitation that there is always a place for her and that when she boldly assumes position, her needs will be met.
God does the same for us. In Proverbs 18 v 10 it says, “The Name of the Lord is a fortified tower. The righteous run to it and they are safe.” His very name uttered by our uncertain, daunted, afraid lips creates a tower that is guarded and strengthened. A fortress that we can run into and find refuge regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.
Loved as I was as a child, I don’t think I experienced quite what my little girl does. Was it my character not to seek out the faithful, reliable souls, or were they not in position? I’m not talking about parents here, it goes without saying that a mother and a father should offer consistent shelter to their offspring. I am marvelling about the fact that not only does God give us a miraculous, timely roof over our heads but that as people, we can do the same for those around us. I watch this child of mine assume and believe she is lovable, and I admire her confidence in herself and in the people around her that she has chosen to be vulnerable with. I see her getting affirmed and corrected, all the while gentle hands and kind eyes connecting with her, giving her a stable, bouncy launching pad like a trampoline to spring from back into the life she has been called to live.
It’s something sweet and rare to witness and I wish it for all people. Imagine being kissed and adored at every turn simply because you exist? God tells us that He has made us and He will carry us even to our old age and grey hair (Isaiah 46 v 4). We all have His arms to depend on and his steady heart to rest our heads against. He is our example too. How many people have I created a special place for? Do they have my ear, my eyes and my hands to hold them or fight for them? Do I bend my knee when they are small people and cock my head to one side, amused and interested in all they have to say? Do I stop what I am doing and give my full attention to the grown ups, showing with my body language that no task is so important that I need to complete it first? Do I keep my hands folded neatly across my chest, or am I generous enough to warmly touch a shoulder, squeeze a forearm or give a bear hug? Are my smiles going to run out or can I flash them about with abandon because nobody can keep being grumpy or downcast when someone is grinning at them? And besides, a smile says so much more in a moment than words can.
Dear friend, you are entirely lovable and it’s not too late to risk a bit of self-preservation and allow other people to gather around you as you shuffle in closer than you’ve ever managed to before. And remember the tower: the password is “Jesus” and you just have to step right in. Lastly, be a dwelling of sorts for others. It seems to me as easy as opening the door and saying, “It looks like you could do with a rest; here, lie down and I’ll bring you a drink and a soft blanket.”
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