There are countless ways that physical life mirrors spiritual life and x amount of examples occur in God’s Word. These include the most obvious, like salt and light metaphors, to the more obscure, like followers of Christ being weeds (still one of my favorites). And sure, in our own lives we can see these illustrations take shape, but sometimes they manifest themselves more clearly in other people, places and things. In this case, I’m going to talk about my baby girl. No, I’m not gonna rattle off how I’m her father and now I know what a father’s love is like for his children so she can run away from home, curse my name, be ungrateful for everything her mom and I provide for her and I’ll still be right there, loving her with all my heart. And I’m not gonna mention that her mom and I would love to keep her free from harm, sheltered in our arms, and it’ll hurt to see her make mistakes, messing up major decisions in life but it’s got to happen for her to learn and grow in wisdom and maturity. Instead, I’d like to focus on our little girl’s survival skills and what it takes to keep her satisfied.

Let me take you back to a time long forgotten - when you were four months old. Oh yes, you were there once. I was too, but unfortunately much of my younger years were spent trying to get to Sesame Street, and I don’t remember much. Macie Rayne Fritts is bringing it all back to me. The diapers, the vibrating chairs, the little piggies on our feet…it’s a great reminder of where we all come from. And beyond the pacifiers and car seats lies a not-so-mysterious truth about the essentials of life and what we need to survive: food and sleep.

Seems simple enough but I think somewhere along the line our judgment gets clouded, and the basic needs in life become overshadowed by unnecessary desires. What am I talking about? Alright, four months into her life Macie can already communicate a few things: I’m hungry, I’m tired and I pooped in my Elmo diapers (can someone clean me?). Realistically, that’s about the extent of it. And when mommy or daddy (mostly mommy) takes care of her immediate needs, a huge smile graces her face and gets reciprocated by those around her. Go figure, she’s most happy when she’s well fed and well rested. That’s what I want to zone in on and analyze a little further.

It’s almost immediate, the smile Macie delivers right after a nap. As soon as the zap of light wears off and her eyes adjust, that girl’s the happiest bobble-head you ever saw. It’s a riot! She wakes up, stretches out her little arms and legs and boom- instant contentment in the moment. I know I don’t see this in my own life…quite the opposite actually. I get out of bed and can barely crack a smile prior to drinking my morning espresso. Oh no, I’m borderline miserable when I first come to, except for every once in a while I’ll fall asleep at a reasonable hour and naturally wake up the next day without the help of my phone alarm. Those are the times where I truly feel refreshed. This is what Macie must feel like every time she wakes. I know we don’t force her up (though we force her down). She typically opens her eyes when she’s ready to face the day, and I think that’s why she wears such a big smile.

Then Macie eats. Sometimes a little and sometimes a lot, the girl eats. And not once, twice or even three times a day but like five or six times. Sure, she throws up now and again from being full of food and getting rattled; nevertheless, she’s got a big smile while we’re wiping her face off. She’s so funny, just sitting there after a feeding, again a happy little bobble-head smiling and looking all confused at the world around her. All she knows is that her belly is full and she’s no longer hungry. Now before she eats it’s a whole different story; she cries and screams and kicks and punches the air and fusses until mommy or daddy puts the milk to her lips. Then she chills out and recognizes she’s getting what she needs to sustain her life. She doesn’t know much, but this knowledge is seemingly inherent in all of God’s creatures.

So, do the spiritual math. It’s not hard here. What do we need as servants under Christ to survive and keep on living for Him? Hmmm, I know it’s something. But are you there? Are you doing the mere basics to sustain your spiritual life? Are you doing more? And are you still a baby holding out for mommy and daddy to bring the bottle all the way to your mouth? Think about it.