If you’ve been around children for any amount of time (even five minutes will do) you’ll know that falling is a regular part of their lives. I’m pretty confident that if I took some of the tumbles I’ve seen children endure, I’d be out for the week. And yet they get up, keep walking, and carry on, although nothing has happened.

That is of course, unless you give them the look. You know that look. It’s that automatic response we make with our faces that says “OUCH, that must have hurt!” Even if they feel fine, even if the fall was broken by the thick padding of their expensive diapers…the look on your face is enough to convince them that they must be in pain. It is then that they will cry.

It’s a regular occurrance in our house these days. As Amanda has been growing into her walking feet, she has been venturing out into the vast unknown landscapes of the house. She falls. She instantly looks up at me for her next cue. It is as though she is asking me “You saw what happened right? So how should I feel? Should I be crying?”

It’s not the only time that she looks at me with this look of complete dependence . Each time she reaches for something, especially something I’ve already restricted her from touching, she glances at me looking for a response. Wether she’s looking for approval, or checking to see if the rules have somehow changed in her favour, I know that my look and my response will very much determine her next steps.

I’m 34 years old now (I know, I look MUCH younger than my age!). You’d think I know how to react to just about everything by now. But I don’t. I have to confess that there is still in me a very real and compelling need to look to something or someone greater than myself to know how I should react. Each time something happens, a new event occurs, I hear of something in the media, a decision has to be made in my life, I face the same questions that Amanda does as well. Should I be scared? Should I feel sad? How should I respond from here?

What are my options? Where and to whom can I look to accurately diagnose my situation and tell me how to respond from there? I can look to man around me. The experts they’re called. Only trouble is…they so often contradict each other. One day you should do this. The next day, don’t even think of doing that. It’s absolute chaos. The wisdom of man is flawed and cannot be trusted to order the affairs of our lives.

I can look to myself. Trust my instincts. Go with what feels best to me at the moment. To be honest…I’m not sure how that philosophy has gotten as widespread as it has. Trouble is…if I listened to myself I would be in a constant state of panic. If I listened to my self I’d consistently feel overwhelmed and discouraged. Or worse, at times, I would have no reaction what so ever, when in fact God’s Word demands that I take very clear steps in response to the situation.

So where do I look? When life takes a turn and I long to look up for direction, who will fill this need?

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, THOROUGHLY equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Truth be told, when Amanda looks up at me for direction, sometimes I don’t give the right commanding orders. I accidentally under react when in fact she is hurt. I let her touch something when yesterday I said no. I try my best, but at the end of the day I am a fallen creature, and my “marching orders” will often be flawed.

But God’s word is reliable. It is perfect. It is consistent. It is straight from the breath of God, and is relevant and true for ever occassion, for all of time.

Think how often a child looks to his parent for direction. Is this how consistently and dependently I look to God’s word as the final authority over my every circumstance?