A Lesson on Boundaries

There is an app on my iPad specifically for Adah. If you touch the screen (anywhere) the iPad will produce a piano note. Adah adores the musical sounds she can produce and will often crawl over to the iPad and will begin tapping the screen to let us know she wants to play.

Today, she decided she would discover what makes the music. She held the iPad in her little hands, tapped the screen to hear the notes, and then lifted the iPad to look at the back. She kept repeating this process, in order to determine the location of the sounds she loves to produce. In her curiosity, she placed the edge of the iPad in her mouth so she could continue to explore, something very common for a child of her age. I immediately told her that was not permitted by using the dreaded mom noise, the one that means “no.” You know, the terribly obnoxious and effective “AAAAH!” sound in your throat.

Adah was stunned and immediately dropped the iPad! She had never heard this sound before and was quite confused. But my little explorer was determined to test mom’s boundaries while seeking to ease her curiosity. She touched the iPad again to produce music while looking at me. There was no nasty mom noise, so she continued to play. After a few minutes of evidence of my child’s musical genius, she picked up the iPad and turned it to look at the back. She touched the screen again and then placed the edge of it in her mouth. “AAAAH!”

She stopped and looked at me immediately. She had a look of hurt on her face that said she was sad, but thinking. She tried it one more time, slowly placing the iPad in her mouth. “AAAAH!” She dropped the iPad and stared at it like it was her puppy that just got hit by a car. In my heart, I felt bad for reprimanding her, but I knew it was the right thing to do (especially since the warranty does not include damage from baby drool).  Tentatively, she began to touch the iPad again to make the noise she loves so much, all while watching me to ensure she was not doing wrong. After a few more moments, she continued to play her music and did not attempt to place the iPad in her mouth again (for now). Today, Adah was introduced to a few lessons. She learned about boundaries, limitations, and obedience.

Often times, life is like this for us. We test our boundaries, sometimes innocently, sometimes not. But like curious Adah, many times we are curious about the world around us. But in our naiveté and excitement, we can get into situations that lead us to places we shouldn't be. Many times, God does not immediately reprimand us verbally like a mother would. Sometimes though, He lets us face the consequences to let us grow and develop wisdom. But, He hasn't done it without proper guidance though. He has given us a tool to help us to learn The Way. Unfortunately, the Bible is not the easiest reading material. It takes a lot of studying in, and even studying about the Bible to get the context of some of the harder passages. But in essence, God is saying “if following Me is truly important to you, spending time with Me, learning my way for you, will be something you will want to do”. Sometimes the initial guidance and direction (not always in the sound of a deafening “AAAAH” ) isn't pleasant, but in the long run it will make your life more fulfilling….and less expensive, by not having to replace your iPad.

“My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.” They will keep you from [trouble]*.” Proverbs 7:1-5

*Slightly paraphrased