The cry of a toddler finding his own independence and loving it. The fond memory of a granddad picturing it, hearing it, reliving it with great love and affection as I type these words.
“Me don’t need help!”
There is nothing to add to that sentence. But we do.
“I don’t need YOUR help” … “I NEVER need anyone’s help” … “LEAVE ME alone, I can manage” … “STOP crowding me, I can do this” … “I can’t TAKE your offer of help” … “That’s lovely of you, but I don’t NEED your help” …
We learn that “help” is a bad thing. That we should be able to live unaided, unassisted, and never in debt to another (emotionally or financially).
Which is bullshit.
T.F. Thompson writes today about “Demons and Devils (An unpopular version)”
“However, our own nature is more or less inclined to yield and to follow those evil desires as the basis of our flesh is about the same: it is centered in sin. Thus our task is to resist the devil, but also to make sure our own heart is in order and in alignment with God. Our inclination to blame the devil for all our woes and behaviors are erroneous and clearly Jesus stated they were nothing more really than the words and pleasures of MEN.”
I added this comment below Tom’s post: “Tom, your words teased another thought I have had from time to time. The “I give God all the Glory” – the “without Him I am nothing” we are taught to think is “good following”. Both sides – the “not me good” and “not me bad” always seem more “victim mentality” than anything else. And I don’t see that teaching anywhere in the bible.”
“Me don’t need help!”
Is the celebration of that moment. Is the joy of discovery – the affirmation of a very tiny bit of independence – in that one moment.
A moment followed by “Me up you” as a little boy (weary from all the “independent” bouncing around) asked – in his toddler language – for a cuddle.
And we cuddled.
Why is it that a child never needs to be a victim? Never needs to blame anyone (the odd blatant denial excepted). Never needs to blame “not me good” nor “not me bad”.
And why do we teach that “being a good follower” requires both?
Why is being a victim of God a good thing?
.
Just me being curious 