Monday, May 18, 2009

The Agitator

My daughter is chewing on her agitator. I’d call it a pacifier, but that would be a misnomer. This thing pisses her off. I could call it the pissifier, but that conjures some unpleasant images. The point is, it’s something that’s supposed to have a calming effect upon her, but it in fact does exactly the opposite. Which is why if I want her to be truly pacified, I’m going to need to take away her pacifier. I am allowed to do this because I have authority over both my daughter and the things I have given her, and I love her enough to act in her best interest. Even if it momentarily upsets her.

This reminds me of Jesus’ sparring session (never a fair fight) with the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 12. Jesus tells the Pharisees that Sabbath time is over because their obsession with its parameters are preventing them from resting. Since he’s greater than the temple, he has this authority. After he follows through with his “discipline” by healing a man on the Sabbath, they plot to kill him.

Silly babies. That would be like my daughter deciding to reject me as her father so she could go on trying to be pacified by chewing on her agitator. Father knows best.

2 comments:

Rick said...

Sooo? If my kids could, they'd snuff me in my sleep so they could O.D. on Pepperidge Farms Goldfish and "Go Diego Go"? Disheartening!

Great insight as usual Josh.

Scott said...

I remember the sassy passy days! Around our house it was called a 'binky' or as my youngest used to say, a 'bing bing.' And once the last binky disapeared for more than a week ...it was over! Even if we found another one we'd hide it or get rid of it so she wouldn't beg for it. It's always been a general rule of ours to make sure every pacifier has disapeared by age one.