jumping from the top step

If walking down the steps is good, jumping off them is even better.  Such was the thinking of Sam yesterday.

And, because there's a big difference between thinking and actually doing, he wanted me to hold onto him as he jumped.  (His sense of risk taking only goes so far, which I am sure to be thankful for when he's a teenager.)

Jump. Repeat. Jump. Repeat.

Eventually, I had a more exciting idea....I'll stand in front of you and catch you.   At first, he was hesitant and unsure.  He tip-toed off his first few times, but after experiencing me catching him every time he jumped, the hesitancy and uncertainty was replaced by excited expectation.  With much laughter and silliness, he would climb up to jump again.   He now knew that I would catch him, that my assurances of catching him could be trusted.  Experience is a great teacher.

Isn't this how our faith in God is strengthened?  With each experience of having to depend on Him, we learn that He is trustworthy, His Word can be trusted, and that His plans for us are good.  If we never jumped, how would we learn these things?

Here's to having our faith stretched, to jumping from the top step, and to knowing that He will catch us!