It is developmentally appropriate for children to go through a phase where they want to do everything for themselves.  If they didn’t, they would never grow up, and we’d have a society of 30 year olds that still expect Mom to do their laundry.  (If you are one of these people, please, please learn to use a washer and dryer.  While you’re at it, you might want to study how the stove works.)

The problem with this, is that to get to the point where your child can do things well, you have to suffer through them doing things really slowly and awkwardly.  As much trouble as it is to dress your baby and change their diaper, it’s much, much easier than waiting for your preschooler to squeeze their head through their shirt, get their legs in the right leg holes, and go to the bathroom on their own.  Usually they get a body part stuck in their clothes.  After a brief struggle, they start screaming for help.  You are so happy to to take over (maybe we’ll actually get to church on time), but as soon as you free the offending limb, you’re verbally pushed back with a firm, “I wanna do it!”

I think that God honors our baby-Christian efforts to serve him.  We may not do everything right.  We may get our head stuck in our arm hole- but he is patient and he is kind.  He is ready to help us when we need it, and he knows exactly how long to let us struggle before stepping in.

Waiting for your small person to get their coat on can be a challenge.  Arms in the right holes…line up the zipper….zip it successfully….all the way up…you could have been in the car by now…they can’t reach the hood because it’s exactly in the middle of their back…. In all this, remember God’s patience with you.  If he were to snatch us up, stuff us in a jacket, and throw us in the car- we’d never grow.  God has to give us the chance to serve him on our own.  He has to let us make mistakes, so we will learn from them.

God wants us to eventually become mature Christians (maybe not “perfect” Christians, but at least “mature”).  Once we move from drinking the milk of the word to chewing the meat, we can begin to puree some of that for younger Christians.  We can help take care of God’s little children.  We can patiently teach them how to serve God.  And one day, we should hear them cry, “I wanna do it!”

Colossians 1:10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. – NLT