Category: Christian Allegory

No Hand

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

It was time for my kids to head towards bed. Pajamas were on, night-time snack had been eaten, and the Bible story had been read.

While my husband went ahead with our daughter, I directed our 1.5 year old son towards the stairs.

As we reached the foot of the staircase, he suddenly turned to me.

“No ‘and. No ‘and. No ‘and.”

He shook his hand at me to emphasize his point.

“Okay,” I took a step back. “You don’t have to hold my hand. That’s fine.”

He reached for the handrail, grasping the part that secures the railing to the wall. The railing itself was too high for him to use comfortably.

Using this support, he stepped onto the bottom step.

That was as far as he could go while holding that support.

He moved his hand, bracing it against the wall, and began taking the next step.

He paused. His other hand reached towards me. “Mama ‘and.”

“Okay.”

Grinning, I took his hand in mine and helped him climb the rest of the staircase. So much for “no hand.”

This wasn’t the first time he had done this. In fact, in the days leading up to my writing this account, he adamantly declared “no hand” in his one-year-old accent nearly every time we approached a flight of stairs together. Then, after taking the first step, he would reach out his little hand for me to hold as I helped him navigate the stairs.

You see, he has reached the age of wanting to be independent while not being very capable yet. He is delighted anytime I can teach him to do something on his own, such as doing the coat flip trick to put on his coat.

His “no hand, no hand,” got me thinking.

Have I ever said “No hand,” to God?

Undoubtedly I have many times.

Coming from my 1.5 year old, it is a sweet, though sometimes difficult, gesture of growing up. He should be gaining independence. It is good and right for him to want to gain more independence.

For me, in my walk with God, seeking independence by rejecting God’s help is a stubborn prideful thing. It is not good.

God wants me to depend on Him. The more I grow and mature in my relationship with Him, the more I will depend on Him.

Yet He gives me the choice.

We are told:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
in all your ways know Him,
and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 CSB

I am to lean into God and let Him help me. I am not to live this life in my own understanding, or my own strength.

Today, may I reach out my hand towards my Heavenly Father and say, “Abba’s hand” as I lean into the help He offers.

Brown Sugar Keeper

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

“It’s your turn to open presents.” My sister-in-law’s words drew my attention back from helping my kids explore the gift they’d just unwrapped.

“Okay,” I picked up a medium-sized box wrapped in festive paper.

I checked the label. It was from my in-laws. I glanced up to double-check they knew I was opening it.

I ripped off the paper to reveal a brown shipping box.

I opened the box.

Inside, I found a wide glass jar with a flip lid, a fresh bag of brown sugar, and a set of sugar keepers or brown sugar savers.

I smiled. These would be useful.

At one point, I had kept my brown sugar in a tall plastic container, but the container was now scratched and cracked. Recently, my brown sugar lived in the original bag with a twist tie or clip to seal it shut. This meant I was often battling hard, dry brown sugar.

A few days later, after the hubbub of Christmas had calmed, I prepared to put my new gift to use. With the jar freshly washed, I looked at the sugar keepers.

They were simple terracotta discs with the imprint of a maple leaf.

The instructions were straightforward. Soak in water for 20 minutes. Dry off the outside and place in sugar.

I filled a measuring cup with water and put the sugar keepers in.

My kids glanced up from their playdough at the sound of the sizzle and whistle of the keepers soaking up the water.

Once the kids returned to their playdough, I had a moment to read the back of the sugar keepers’ package.

The package listed several other things the sugar keeper could do:

  • Keep cakes and cookies moist
  • Keep raisins, coconut, and other dried fruits fresh

I glanced at my kids. Could it keep playdough soft? I might have to try.

I looked back at the package. It had a second side to the wording.

Apparently, the sugar keeper could be dried in the oven and would then be useful for keeping things dry. It could:

  • Keep spices and salt dry
  • Keep chips crispy
  • Keep electronic equipment dry

These uses surprised me. I had no idea how many things a little terracotta disc could be useful for.

It was then that an allegory took shape in my mind.

I, as a Christian, am meant to bring life to those around me, just as the sugar keeper is to bring moisture (and thus give life to) brown sugar.

Is it my own life that I bring to those around me? No, it is the life Jesus gives. The life which, by the Holy Spirit, lives in me.

Similarly, the sugar keeper does not give its own moisture to the sugar. The keeper must first be soaked, thus being filled up with water so it has something to give.

Giving moisture is not the only thing a sugar keeper can do. It can also suck moisture out of everything around it.

Likewise, giving life is not the only thing I can do. I can also drain the joy and hope out of everyone I cross paths with.

This happens when I am living in the flesh, not walking in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-26 clarifies the difference. (For sake of time I will abbreviate the passage, but the full section is worth reading.)

The works of the flesh include: Jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, and envy. (Gal. 5:19-21)

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23a CSB)

I don’t want to be a life drainer. I want to be life giving to those around me.

I want to share a taste of the life Jesus gives with those I cross paths with. I want to give joy, hope, encouragement, and love to them.

I want them to see Jesus in me.

How can I do this?

The more I draw near to Jesus – seeking Him through the Bible, prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship – the more I will be filled with His life.

The more I am filled with Jesus’ life, the more it will seep out of me to bring life to those around me.

God will be at work through me.

Today, may I seek Jesus more so that I may be a life giver, not a life drainer.

Wrong Thinking

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

“Parmesan cheese, please.” My 3 year old daughter pointed across the table.

I sprinkled some of the cheese on her pasta. “There you go.”

She took a bite, then picked up her water to take a drink.

As she tilted the cup to take a drink, she tipped it too far, pouring cold water onto her pant leg.

“Oh…” She put the cup back down. “Now I’m wet. I can’t be wet.”

She proceeded to roll her affected pant leg up past the wet spot.

“There,” she declared, “now it will dry faster.”

I frowned. “It will dry slower, not faster, when it is rolled up. Your pants need to be spread out to dry faster.”

“No. It will dry faster.”

I sighed. I knew pressing the point would get me nowhere. I had tried before, several times…

“Well, you get to choose if you want your pant leg rolled up or not.”

It was time to change the topic.

“Look. I see a squirrel in the tree outside. I wonder what he’s trying to do.”

It wasn’t until I had a few minutes to slow down several days later that it occurred to me that there is an allegory here for me to learn from.

As I was reflecting on my daughter’s attitude of not wanting to listen to me in this manner, the thought crossed my mind: “Is there any area of my thinking where I have been refusing to listen to God?”

With my daughter, sometimes this same attitude has shown up in statements such as, “if I don’t get a turn now, then I never will get a turn.”

My reply has been, “That’s not true. You need to wait for one more minute and then it will be your turn. You need to tell yourself the truth.”

To her reply of “Why?”

I say, “Because it hurts you when you don’t tell yourself the truth. It makes you feel grumpy.”

The question begs to be asked: Is there any area of my life that I am not telling myself the truth?

Probably.

My wrong thinking may be fueled by pride, ignorance, fear, or nearly anything else. It may seem harmless right now, but when I continue to think that way, eventually it will hurt me and likely cause harm to those around me.

Is God trying to explain to me the truth so that I don’t cause myself all sorts of trouble by believing the lie I am telling myself?

Yes.

Much of the transforming work God does in my life takes place in the mind.

As Romans 12:2 tells us: “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (CSB)

How does God transform my thinking?

There are many ways. Time spent reading the Bible is hugely significant. Spending time in prayer, listening to sound Bible teaching, and fellowshipping with other Christians all play large roles as well.

God wants to help me know the truth. As I seek Him, He will transform my thinking (though I may not clearly see it myself).

Today, may I have the courage to honestly ask God to show me where I have been thinking wrong, and then to help me change it.

Looking for a Bible-based devotional? Check out my post:

Grow Your Faith: 5 Inspiring and Free Christian Devotionals

Assigned Lesser Duties?

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

The following allegory is a break from my normal style of allegories. I wrote it on Remembrance Day (or Veterans Day as it is called in the USA). A day set aside to pause and remember the sacrifice of those who have fought for our freedom.

As we gathered around the breakfast table, my husband turned on a live stream of the Remembrance Day Ceremony happening in Ottawa. (TV at meal time is extremely rare for us, but what do you do when you are in a different time zone and your kids need to eat during a live event?)

This year, we had special interest in watching the preamble of the ceremony in Ottawa.

I glanced at the screen between spreading slices of bread for my kids and eating my own breakfast.

Suddenly, I pointed at a man on the screen chatting with two others, both of whom were smiling. “There he is! It’s Elmer Friesen!”

I grabbed my phone to snap a quick photo.

As the screen shifted to show other people, I turned to my daughter, “Do you remember Mr. Friesen? You know him.”

Elmer Friesen is a war veteran from World War II whom I have had the privilege of knowing since I was young. He is 103 years old now, but still sharp-minded and doing well for his age. He is a godly man and always has a cheery word to share.

As we continued to eat breakfast and watch the preamble, we listened to various veterans being interviewed and watched the soldiers marching to their positions for the ceremony.

Then they did it, they mentioned Elmer by name!

They shared a pre-recorded segment on his story before interviewing him in person.

His story goes something like this:

Elmer Friesen joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 1940s eager to serve. He really wanted to go overseas.

However, he was assigned a maintenance role in Canada.

After a year and a half of maintenance duty, his tendency to always be singing was noticed and he was recruited into the Royal Canadian Air Force entertainment group. Their mission? Raise the morale of civilians who were in the midst of wartime tensions.

They traveled around performing variety shows in Atlantic Canada.

Elmer never did get deployed overseas the way he had wanted. He served in the homeland.

When the interview ended, the reporters shared their thoughts regarding how a wide variety of duties are valuable, even the kind Elmer was assigned to.

How would I describe Elmer Friesen today? A man in whom the joy of the Lord is evident.  He seeks to share Jesus with those around him wherever he goes, and enjoys life along the way. One of his favorite hymns is Count Your Blessings.

Why do I share this?

Because I see an allegory here for me.

How many times have I wanted to be someone or do something God hasn’t called me to be or do?

How many times have I read an inspiring missionary or hero of the faith biography and said, “Here, Lord, send me?”

But no call came.

I love this quote from Elmer: “‘I really wanted to go overseas,’ he said. ‘But you go where you’re told, you go where you’re asked to serve.'” (Quote from: https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/alberta-veteran-103-recalls-war-service-spent-boosting-morale-at-home/ )

Elmer Friesen was a soldier. When you are a soldier, you do what you are told.

We too, as Christians, are instructed to live as soldiers seeking to please our commanding officer (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

We go where we are sent and stay there serving faithfully until we are called somewhere else.

Our commanding officer (God) has perfect foresight. He knows the big picture and He knows the intimate details of how He has created each of us.

God assigns to each of us a role. Each role is unique based on our talents and the big picture that only God can see.

(1 Corinthians 12 uses the body as an illustration of this. We are not all eyes or feet. The body is a functioning whole because each of us has been given our own role to play.)

Even if I have not been called to be in the “front lines” of Christian service, I can help support those who are. I can offer friendship, financial support, and, most importantly, prayer support.

One way to get in the habit of praying for missionaries and pastors, etc., is to collect a photo or prayer card from each person you want to pray for. Choose a meal that you are typically at home and not in a big rush – for my family this is supper, but for my grandparents, who taught me this habit, it was breakfast. Then everyday when you sit down to say grace for that meal, pull out the top photo and pray for them. Return that photo to the bottom of the stack to be prayed for again in a week or two.

How have you made it a habit to pray for missionaries? Let us know in the comments below.

Today, may I join with Elmer Friesen in willingly submitting to the role God has given me in this season.

As I do so, may my heart remember to count my many blessings (because there are so very many).

 

 

 

 

Here’s the clip related to Elmer Friesen from the CTV News coverage of the Ottawa 2025 Remembrance Day Ceremony. Here’s the link to the full 2 hour recording: https://www.youtube.com/live/L1JFjJGDIUw?si=Qeff4Zu3kv_juS1K

 

Link to a short article referencing Elmer’s story: https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/alberta-veteran-103-recalls-war-service-spent-boosting-morale-at-home/

 

 

The hymn: Count Your Blessings

Can I Push the Stroller?

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

“Can I push the stroller, Mommy?”

I looked down at my 2 year old daughter, then nodded. “Okay, but let me take your brother out first.”

I pulled my 6 month old out of the stroller, then adjusted the handlebars low enough for my daughter to reach.

“Try to stay on the path,” I said, stepping out of the way.

Eagerly, she gripped the handle and began pushing. Within a few feet, the stroller angled off the path.

She stopped.

I stopped behind her, then quickly stepped out of the way as she backed up until the stroller was on the path again.

Happily, she resumed pushing the stroller along the path.

Following along behind, I wasn’t concerned when I saw her heading off the side again. Our path was surrounded by flat grass, and nobody else was on the path to be crashed into.

Again, my daughter stopped, backed up to realign, then pushed forward.

When she veered off to the side again a few feet later, she again stopped, backed up, and pushed onward.

It was very slow, clumsy progress.

Eventually, as I watched this pattern repeat again and again, I clued in to the problem. My daughter couldn’t see over the top of the stroller. She was steering blind.

All she could see was where her feet stood on the sidewalk and perhaps half a step forward. This wasn’t enough to allow her to steer successfully.

Why bring this up?

So often in life, I am like my 2 year old daughter in the story above.

I cannot see where I am going beyond the very place where I am standing.

Sure, I can look down at where my feet are and perhaps see half a step forwards, but I have no idea if the path is about to turn or continue straight.

Thankfully, I know the One who can see, and He wants to help me. 

Sometimes, when I allow my daughter to push, I walk alongside the stroller with my hand on it. I direct where it goes. I keep it on the path for my daughter knowing she cannot.

God desires to do this for me. He wants to help me stay on the path. 

If I stubbornly refuse to do things His way, He will step back and let me try my hand at keeping my life on the path.

That never ends well.

Today, may I submit to God’s direction and ask Him to help me keep my life on the path. He will help me.

 

“Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 CSB

“A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 CSB