Some Smelly Socks
A silly little saying can sometimes stick in my head longer than the words of wisdom from a deep theological study.
When I was a teenager, my friends and I had a catchphrase we would use whenever we were embarrassed.
“I’m just gonna go crawl into my socks… and peep out.”
It helps if you imagine it being said with a bit of a Southern drawl.
I most often found the saying useful after I had offered up my opinion and unsolicited advice to someone, then later found myself in the very same situation, reacting exactly as they had. My sisters and sister-in-law can certainly testify here for all the times I questioned or criticized their parenting skills before becoming a mom myself. And I fully acknowledge after this confession that some of my current friends are about to raise their hands in agreement that I should go get my socks.
As a full-time mom for the last 13 years, finding time to read my Bible, study, pray and spend quiet time with God, has been a breeze. The more often I relaxed on the front porch swing, in the big mama chair or in total hammock heaven, the more I thought everyone should be doing the same thing. My working friends would drop behind in group Bible studies and I would think they were just slacking… succumbing to the pressure of a paycheck and giving God less time than He deserved. But now, here I am, operating most days on four hours of sleep, praying in the car on the way to work, 
grabbing a quick verse from my new daily devotional and looking longingly at the Beth Moore study collecting dust on the headboard of my bed.
While I miss the time I used to have with my family, I feel far more desperate for my quiet time with God. But He did try to warn me.
Before I walked reluctantly back into the working world, I kept seeing and hearing the word “sacrifice” in studies, on signs and in sermons. Now that I can look back and sort of understand what was about to happen, the words “self righteous” are beginning to appear. The words came to me again this morning while praying on my way to work. The Spirit was pretty clear on how little I really comprehend the stress, struggles and tight schedules of other people’s lives. I felt sad and sorry, though I still felt a little entitled. That is one of the problems with our flesh… and a good God doesn’t want us to stay that way.
So, it’s a Saturday and I’m at work. But when I get home, I’m going to find a pair of socks and, if you look closely my friends, you will be able to see me peeping out.
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1
Yep I see that a bit more clearly now.
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:15-16
In addition to mercy and grace, what I need is more time
to do that study. But in honor of all working women I’m going to try to keep quiet about that for a little while.
🙂
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