Don’t Shake the Baby…
Don’t Shake the Baby…
The joy of welcoming new life is an incredible moment. It is the most messy and magnificent miracle I’ve ever seen! Seeing each of our four children enter this world was a special blessing. The first days of life, from the hospital to your journey home, are a special time.
At some point, in the middle of the happiness and celebration, a nurse will jar you with the words, “Do not shake the baby under any circumstances.”
Shake the baby!? Who on earth would want to shake this sweet fragile little life?
Little do new parents know that soon in the middle of the night they will understand.
Shaking a baby goes from illogical to oh-so-tempting when the new wears off, the sleeplessness turns up, and poop shoots up their back.
Nothing changed about the baby, but we get to learn a lot about ourselves.
We want this little person to fit back on our schedule, to consider us with their needs, to struggle only in ways we can fix.
We get angry cause we don’t have control. We aren’t getting the results we want out of our service. We aren’t seeing someone change because of our effort.
We turn up the intensity so that we can speed up the results.
I’ve noticed many marriages, friendships, and parents marked by this type of intensity. They are working hard for the good of the other. They are taking steps to see someone else grow. They are sacrificing and serving… but the results are slow in coming.
The struggles and sins of others create weight in our lives. If something doesn’t change, someone will carry the burden of sinful choices. That’s why we were motivated to change things in the first place.
Suddenly, the patience wears thin. A wife that used to bring her husband careful words for his growth becomes a prosecuting attorney. A husband that once lovingly confronted has grown tired and ugly in his speech. A parent that started with discipleship intentions now resorts to dictatorship.
When we can’t reach the heart, we grow frustrated and angry.
Shaking people doesn’t produce righteousness.
James tells us,
“Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
Our patience must go up, not the intensity.
Our patience can only grow in a life of prayer. We must be confident that the Lord is working even when we are waiting.
Prayer is the place we can tap into God’s patience toward us. Prayer is the place we can reach the heart of our loved ones. Prayer is the place for zeal. The Spirit carries our burdens. The Spirit knows what is truly needed in another. The Spirit cares more for them and hates their sin more than you do.
Are you turning up your prayer or trying to shake your loved one?