“Watch me!”

We have been at the pool a lot lately. My son loves to go off the diving boards. He spends hours alternating between the low dive and the high dive. Each time he gets on the board, he looks over to me and gives me the thumbs up. When I give him the thumbs up, he’ll proceed. If I’m not watching, he will wait or yell, “Hey mom, are you watching?” This is why I haven’t been reding much this summer. I carry my big book to the pool but I’ve been on the same page for weeks.

My son’s longing to have me watch him is similar to the way we all want to be seen. How cool to have someone always watching and cheering you on. Wouldn’t it be great if before we took a leap in life, we could look over to God and have Him give us the thumbs up?  We all want reassurance that what we are doing is right and good for us.

I was in a seminar once and the speaker said her mom hung a picture of Jesus in every room to remind her that He was always watching her.  She claims her mom did this to scare her.  She said it like, “He’s ALWAYS watching…” As in, “Don’t try to get away with anything because even if I don’t see you, Jesus sees everything”.  This woman was really traumatized by this and felt very afraid of Jesus.  She said she couldn’t accept the Eucharist as a child because she was so afraid of Jesus.  She was taught that he was a judgmental, punishing God.  She was taught to fear.

How different would that message have been if she was told this…”Jesus is always watching you.  He is everywhere you are and he loves you so much, He can’t take His eyes off of you.  He is cheering for you, He is giving you the thumbs up, He is with you always.  He is your protection, your comfort, your assurance.  He is your friend.”

Much better, eh?

It’s all in the perspective.  It’s all in the way we look at it.

As a parent, I know how important it is for my kids to see me there, on the side of the pool, paying attention, giving the thumbs up, clapping, congratulating, cheering.   I realize they are building their perceptions of life based on what they are experiencing.

The diving board is really a metaphor for life.  When we are going to take a “leap” in life, what has our experience shown us?

Am I being encouraged?  Are people rooting for me?  Am I good enough?  Am I brave enough?  Am I supported?

What has your experience shown you?  Are you going to jump off that board or not?