From a parenting/shepherding point of view, today was a monumental day in our house, definitely a day every Christian parent should celebrate. Tonight, in a very precious and powerful way, L and I saw evidence of the Holy Spirit working in E's little heart.
We were all sitting down to dinner when E hopped down and headed off to potty (for some reason she always realizes that she needs to potty at the exact moment we are sitting down to dinner). Since starting school, she's gotten almost completely independent with pottying, but (like most kids, I think) hates to wash her hands. So since I'm not in there to supervise, I always have to ask her on the way back if she's washed her hands...and most times I have to send her back in to finish that last step.
Tonight on her way back to the table, I asked her the same question, "E, did you wash your hands?"
"Yes, mommy. I did." I peered at her out of the corner of my eye, a questioning look on my face. "E, are you sure you washed your hands?"
"Yes, mommy. I did."
"Okay, then." I said. "Come on back up to the table." I still wasn't sure whether or not she was lying, but since she rarely bold-face lies to me, I decided to take her on her word this time. But I was already filing a mental note to eavesdrop on her next bathroom trip a little to see if her trustworthiness was beginning to diminish in this area.
We all picked up our forks and started eating. Not even three minutes later, E slams her fork down and says, almost frantically, "I need to go wash my hands! I didn't wash them." And off she went. L and I stared at each other, both thinking the same thing, "Did what I think just happened really happen?" When she came trotting back to the table a few minutes later, she was grinning from ear to ear. I picked her up to set her back in her chair, and she leaned in to my face, "Mommy, did that make you happy?"
Sensing that her little heart was really grasping some amazing truths, I responded with total affirmation, "Yes, baby. It sure did. It makes mommy so happy when you tell me the truth and do what mommy asks you to do."
When E was seated again at the table, my (awesome, amazing, incredibly Godly) husband opened up the conversation further. "E, did you hear a voice in your head telling you that you lied to mommy and daddy about washing your hands? Is that why you went and washed your hands?"
"Yes, daddy. I did." Oh my goodness! God was leading us straight into a conversation about the Holy Spirit with our THREE YEAR OLD. Amazing.
L continued on, "Well, E, that voice that you heard is God. God was the one telling you that you shouldn't lie to mommy and daddy and that you should obey mommy and daddy."
"Yes it was God, daddy. God was talking to me," she replied.
I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer. "And when God talks to you inside your head like that, that's called the Holy Spirit. He's the one that lives in your heart and helps you obey mommy and daddy."
"Yep," she said, so matter-of-factly.
And so there it was. Evidence. Evidence that God is shepherding my little girl's heart. Evidence that he is already at work in her life. Evidence that I can trust that, when I don't discern untruths and disobedience, the Holy Spirit is working in her heart to continue to guide her toward Truth. I never imagined in my whole life I would be given an opportunity to so clearly articulate the Holy Spirit to any three-year-old, much less my own. But God is faithful and He leads us according to His purposes. And as I continue to pray for the salvation and sanctification of my child(ren), I am so encouraged to see Him faithfully answering that prayer, even at such a young age.
