She stood there in the hallway with her royal gown made from a superhero cape and a crown of undergarments on her head. Defying me. My precious three year old had failed to obey in picking up her mess. When I reminded her of her responsibility she looked up at me, held her hands out, and said, "But mommy, I'm a princess. Princess hands aren't strong enough to clean up." She was dead serious. So was I, when I told her we were redefining princess around this house.
The more I thought (and chuckled) over this encounter I started to wonder how often I do that. Avonlea had what I called a "Moses Moment". She was perfectly equipped for the job she was given in that moment, yet she tried to use weakness as an excuse for disobedience.
I looked over the story of Moses in Exodus 3 and 4. I find it encouraging. We know Moses as a hero of the faith. Yet, his beginning was a little rocky. He had questions about who he was, who God was, and how the people would receive the message. Even after God provided the answers, along with some pretty neat wonders, he proceeded with his final argument. Surely a flaw, a weakness such as his excused him from answering the Lord's call. "O Lord, please send someone else to do it" Exodus 4:13).
How often do I use my weaknesses as excuses instead of viewing them as opportunities for the Lord to display his awesome and divine power? Probably more than I care to admit. How many times have I essentially said, "O God, please ask someone else to do this"? Maybe not cognitively. Then again, maybe so.
It's amazing how much a three year old can teach you. But like the princess who somehow found the strength to clean up her mess and like Moses, whom God used in unbelievably mighty ways; He can use us too. He will equip us. He will provide. He's asking for a willing heart, a heart that can see the opportunity in our weaknesses.
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