Looking back to the first steps of our little girl I find a treasured gem that will never be forgotten. One moment she was standing by the couch as I watched her closely and with a loud whisper, I gently called her mother from the kitchen. “Come here, Gretchen is going to take a step.” Her little knees were shaking and her tiny little body was just swaying. She was trying so hard to keep her balance. She eyed the end table just out of reach of her short arms. She strained ever so intently as she reached as far as she could. The table was just too far. Both her mother and I held our breath as we watched her every move. Mom placed her hand on my shoulder. We were silently praying that we would both be there to watch her first step. It was not hard to behold the determination on her little face. As Gretchen’s focus came into view we could only imagine what she was thinking as our minds joined with hers. We even caught ourselves speaking inwardly without speaking a single word so as not to scare her or break her concentration. Quietly as our heads filled with pride and parental love we shouted like cheerleaders, “You can do it!”, “Come on girl!”. She then let go of the couch and stood for a brief moment. Bravely she meet an experience she had never known before as she took a step and grabbed the edge of the table. Wow! How wonderful is our God? Soon she learned that a step is actually like a stumble as one foot steps ahead of the other we are prevented from falling. It is a gem in our personal treasure box. A box filled with unique treasures that we hold dear forever.
I was recently reminded by my sister, Kae, of a story from our childhood. When our little sister, Ann, was trying to take her first steps she was struggling and having quite a difficult time. She we just tumble and then get right up and try again. Though she tried hard she could not step very far at all. Her forward motion always limited her to only take two or three steps at the most. A wise neighbor came to our home for coffee and Mom told her about Ann’s difficulty. She replied, “This is easy, Cora, she just needs a pair of baby shoes!”. We all got into the car and went to the shoe store. There we found a great sales person who carefully measured her feet and put on the little white pair of baby shoes. As Mom was paying for the new shoes, she placed Ann down on the floor. She immediately started to walk without falling down. In fact she made a bee line to the front of the door. Mom quickly caught her and picked her up. From that moment on she walked but Mom had missed her first steps because she was concentrating on a transaction. Ann never slowed down she was always walking with a smile from that day forward.
A pretty humbling question that none of us can answer is, “Do you remember taking your first steps as a child?” God has given us our memory, but exactly how far back does your memory go? I very much doubt that we can recall taking our first steps as a child. We all remember watching a young child taking their first step.
A vividly remember the tears in a mother’s eyes who lived next door to our house. Helping to make ends meet my wife occasionally would take care of children when mothers from our neighborhood had to work during the day. I had just gotten home from the church office when a young mother had come for her child. My wife said, “I saw your child take a step today!” She immediately burst into tears and grabbed my wife with both of her arms. She held my wife closely and sobbed uncontrollably,”And I was not even here to see it. Am I failing to be the Mother I am supposed to be?” My wife just hugged her and compassionately said,” You are a perfect mother! It just so happened this afternoon. Go home with your child and he will take a step toward you. You will be blessed to see him walk on this same afternoon!” She and my wife remained close friends for a lifetime. Her son, Mark, who took his first step at our house now has a family all this own and has watched the first steps of his children as his family grew.
Peter reminds us in scripture of how we should walk from our first steps to our last, I Peter 2:21 – For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps. The Apostle Paul sets forth three ways that we are to walk in the book of Ephesians Chapter 5:1-16 (vs 2 – Walk in love; vs 8 – Walk as children of the Light; and vs. 15 – Walk Circumspectly).
We had to teach our son to walk four times. How blessed we were as parents to patiently see our son take his first steps on four occasions in his life. Above all the love and determination of his mother became an inspiration to me and others who new her gentle spirit. Our own son David was blessed above all.
First, There was the joy of watching him take his first steps as child.
Second, At age two he went to the park with his sister and other cousins. He tried to climb the ladder to the slide and fell breaking his leg. After surgery to set the bone the Doctor put him in a full body cast. The cast was from his upper chest all the way down to both of his legs and ankles. A broom stick was cast between both ankles for stabilization. There was a small hole for his tummy to expand when he ate and another piece of the cast was cut away so his diaper could be changed. David wore the cast for six weeks. It was amazing to see his upper body strength in his arms grow during those weeks. The cast was very heavy. He learned to crawl by just using his arms and letting his cast drag behind him. I had to hold him on my lap for every meal as his mother fed him. He could not bend and could not use a chair at all. So I would hold him upright on my leg and knee.
Removing the cast after all those weeks was quite an experience for all of us in the family. He laughed and giggled as the Dr took the electric saw to cut away the cast. It must have tickled David just a little bit and made us all smile. When the top the cast was removed the doctor asked him to lift his leg and he just screamed. It was the hardest moment for me. I remember how it broke my heart to see him in so much pain. We asked about physical therapy and the Doctor said he will not need it. Just take him home and when he wants to walk he will. He also warned us both to not assist him in any way. You are going to want to lift him and help him do things. For a couple of weeks David still crawled on his tummy and continued to just let his legs and feet drag behind him. His arms were so muscular and strong. Then one day he pulled himself up to a small table and stood. Then returned to his tummy. He was a fast little lizard. Finally he began to stand and take a few steps. As hard as it was for her Mom would not help him, following the Doctor’s orders, she encouraged him every time he stood and constantly prayed for our so. Soon he quit pulling himself on the floor and stood straight up and again took his first steps. In just a few more weeks he regained his ability to walk again.
Third, When our son went to Bible College he was critically injured in a college van accident. The worst and life changing injury was due to brain shear. Months of Hospitalization, physical treatments and surgeries followed. Once again, he had to learn to stand and walk. This time as a young adult. His mother took on the responsibility as the leading role player in teaching her son to walk once again. The countless hours outside of therapy at multiple clinics she dedicated herself to help him return to as normal life as possible. He became stronger and we were there to see him take his first steps and then to see him walk again as a young man.
Fourth, …We are to walk in the steps of Jesus. Of all the things we teach our children we must always teach them to walk in the ways of the Lord. As parents we are solidly committed to teaching Biblical truths and a sincere faithfulness to God who takes care of us day by day. Teaching a child to walk in the ways of the Lord by life example and tenderness can be challenging at times. Nevertheless, we continue to teach our entire lives so that her children may rise up and call their mother Blessed because of her faithfulness to Christ, His Church and the lives of her family.
DO YOU REMEMBER TAKING YOUR FIRST STEPS IN YOUR LIFE?
Upon reflection, I believe that I can’t but my wife can! When she passed away last year she took her first step into a new life in heaven entering into the joy of the Lord! From my perspective here on the earth I saw her last step when she took her FIRST STEP!
God always knew that life is but a step. His desire for each of us to follow in the steps of Christ. At times when the way gets difficult He is always there. His hand reaches out to us and we must never pull away. We are encouraged by those around us to take hold of His hand as He tenderly calls us, “Follow Me!” Do you realize that we maybe one step away from Heaven ourselves? Live your life today by teaching others to walk closer to the Lord. Make sure that you are following in the steps of Christ all the days of your life. Your treasure box will be full to overflowing as you carefully step in the steps of Jesus.
TREASURES FOR THE HEART 