The other day my wife sent me this picture of my son Caleb. Apparently he was finishing his chocolate milk when all of a sudden it plummeted from the kitchen island and spilled all over the kitchen floor. She turned around to get a towel and when she reappeared to clean up the mess there was Caleb, drinking the milk off the floor.
When Karen asked him what he was doing he stopped, looked up and with the most serious voice a three year old can posses he said, “Mom, I just love it.”
When Karen told me this story I had to wonder; What in my world would I drink off the floor? Of course I don’t mean literally, but what do I care enough about that I would throw caution to the wind and just dive right in. When I really thought about it I came to some tough conclusions.
The first conclusion is that the older I’ve gotten the more reasonable I’ve become. In the process of “maturing” I’ve often settled for outcomes that I didn’t want. Caleb knew that he didn’t want to lose the milk. He was going to do anything to drink the milk. HE HAD TO HAVE IT. If I want to get serious about my big, hairy, audacious, God purpose then I need to become more unreasonable.
The second conclusion is that it is okay for me to act like a fool for fun, but not for serious. When Karen asked Caleb about the milk he was dead serious in his response. There was no joking, he wasn’t being funny, he was just pouring out his little heart and that was okay. Sometimes in my own life, and in my relationships I will only act like a fool for a laugh. Maybe it is time to act like a fool because that is what I want. Who cares what other people think - I need to not settle, even if I look funny in the process.
The final thought I had about this whole experience is that I need to be all in on what I say is important. Face down and in the milk is the best way for me to ensure that I am going to enjoy what I value. From my relationship with Jesus, to Karen, to my three little rug rats - I need to be with them face down in the milk. No excuses, no distractions, it is time to be all in on what I love.
The reality is that eventually the milk will disappear, everything in life does. I’m not going to waste another minute pretending like I don’t really love it.
Self Challenge
Where do you need to be unreasonable?
How can you act like a fool for what you love?