By Edith Parkman

“The recipe for perpetual ignorance  is to be satisfied with your own opinion.” A wise man will hear, and will increase in learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel. Proverbs 1:5  

There is a certain little high we get when we’re right about something.  Being the one with the right answer gives us a feeling of pride, worth and value.  We get a charge from being the one people come to for guidance.  That’s human nature.  We all need to feel necessary.  

The problem with that is when we’ve been right two or three times, we tend to forget others may know a little something, too!  We begin to ignore other’s opinion, or when we do listen, it’s only to find a way to best their ideas.  Ug-ly!  When our opinion becomes the see-all-and-be-all, we’re in deep trouble. 

There are times, believe it or not, when even a child can teach us something if we would but listen.  If you can stomach one more ‘I remember’ incident from me, I’ve got one for you.  My son was about 5 years old and suffering from a near pneumonic chest cold.  The doctor had recommended several medications, all of which I diligently poked into his little mouth.  Although I administered the red liquid, the green concoction and the yellow pills into my baby’s little system, he continued to suffer.  The fever was still spiking, there was the hacking cough and the bleary eyes.   Just as I began to seriously consider the hospital, my sweet little guy looked into his distraught mama’s eyes and said, ‘Mama, we forgot to pray.’ 

 The memory of that weak little voice reminding me of what I should have thought of in the beginning still brings tears to my eyes.  I felt so stupid!  Here I was, the mama, the knowledgeable one, the one with all the faith in God, the one who had first hand experience of  His divine healing, having to be reminded of the power of God by a five year old!  I could have attempted to save face by telling Jim God already knew he was sick, or that I had secretly whispered a prayer already.  I could have pooh-poohed his idea as just the mumbling’s of a feverish child and insisted on heading to the hospital right away. 

To be honest, I really wanted to pray as Jim had suggested, then grab him up and head for the emergency room.  Instead, I seemed led by The Spirit to pray and wait.  My baby insisted on getting out of bed and kneeling beside me as I prayed.  After praying, he returned to his bed and immediately fell asleep.  He slept for about a half hour, then jumped from bed, headed straight for the bathroom, and began to throw up.  Hideous, vile, yucky stuff!  Up came the red medicine, the green.  Relieved, he returned to his bed, only to get up again in the next few minutes to repeat the process.  This happened about three times, and finally, Jim slept again. 

A couple of hours later,  he awakened with a ravenous appetite. (Yes!!)  After eating two big bowls of hot, mama-made soup,  he showed no signs of having ever been sick!  No fever, no bleary eyes, no coughing or even hoarseness!  Just my little man - peddling his bike as though his life depended on it!  

We  need to listen to other’s ideas and opinions sometimes.  We don’t know everything nor are we always right.  Or, maybe you are right, but somebody else has a better idea.  Give a listen!  Be teachable!  You might learn something, grow a little, appreciate others more - and learn a little humility to boot.

Love ya! Edith