I push down.
I turn it to the right.
But still the lid won’t open.
So I try again. Push down.
Harder.
Scrunch up my face somehow thinking that the added effect will mysteriously help.
I turn the cap to the left and…
nothing.
The lid click click clicks and moves no where.
After a while I learned how to open the Ragu jar and the Tylenol bottle. But I’m, apparently, still stuck on the Listerine bottle as I found out tonight.
Child-proof locks. They kept me out for so long. But even while I was technically still a child I could undo a child-proofed cap. It took practice though. It took resolve as I listened to the click click click over and over again.
The child-proof caps haven’t been a problem for me for years. I just press down and turn. The cap comes right off.
But as I tried and tried again tonight to open the mouth wash bottle, I began to realize that there’s a lesson in all of this.
Children aren’t supposed to be able to open certain things. Seat belts are in cars for a reason. Electrical outlets are covered when there is a little one around. Child-proof locks on bottles and caps are there for a reason.
Protection.
They are meant to say Keep Out!
But as children we go meddling in with our little fingers twisting and turning until suddenly – the cap lifts off.
It’s facinating to us.
But it’s dangerous. Oh so dangerous.
We do this as adults, too. We meddle with our words and our mouths. We stick our heads into business that has nothing to do with us. We whine when we don’t have the answer when we want it, how we want it. We whine when we get the wrong answer. It all seems so little, so harmful, but it’s dangerous to not only us, but those around us.
Maybe we should just back away from the situation, from the child-proof lock, and let it be.
Maybe we aren’t old enough to understand the secret of how it all works and the key to pressing down and turning. We can read the directions, but we aren’t quite ready and equipped to do as the directions tell us.
Not yet, anyway.
We need a little more time.
A little more practice.
Do you find it hard to resist pushing and turning the lock that is meant for your protection? What do you need to just walk away from and let be until it’s time and you’re ready?
By: OneGirl, It Just Takes One
Photo source {added in at a later date}
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Great post! Every time I open up a child proof cap, that click click click will remind me of this!
I never thought of it this way! Interesting how Jesus tells to keep knocking, keep asking, keep trying to get in. And yet other times he clearly gives us the “childproof”‘bottle for our protection. Lord, give us the wisdom to know the difference. Thanks for this post!
Oh yes. Too often I keep knocking when I should sit in silence (and anticipation). Or I switch it around and stay still when He wants me to move and act.
I think situations in our lives are definitely like this! I notice that when ever I open that place/situation too soon there are major consequences. (Oh, and I still use a spoon trick to open the Ragu bottle! )
ooh what’s the spoon trick?! 🙂
Take a spoon (older and one you don’t mind bending) place the tip under the rim of the top(will work for any sealed like this). The cupped portion of the spoon should be towards you. Tip the spoon away from you so that you are pushing the handle towards the jar, and the tip should be under the cap and going towards you. The pressure under the cap should release, and you should hear a pop. Works almost every time, and you don’t need that much pressure. You could use a knife, but this is safer, and actually gives better leverage.
Thank you ! was very helpful..
“We do this as adults, too. We meddle with our words and our mouths. We stick our heads into business that has nothing to do with us. We whine when we don’t have the answer when we want it, how we want it. We whine when we get the wrong answer. It all seems so little, so harmful, but it’s dangerous to not only us, but those around us.”
man alive have i seen that this week. good words!
and i was thinking…if you turn to the right…you’re never going to get it open. righty tighty! 😉
Great reminder, beautiful prose. Thank you for sharing.
So very very true! We do things that deep down we know we shouldn’t but we do it anyway. Always ends with consequences. I will think of this every time I open a bottle of meds or a ragu bottle 🙂
Blessings,
Mel
Please feel free to stop by: Trailing After God
I also love your response above about continuing to knock when you should be listening! Amen! Don’t we all do that all too often?
I identify with this so much. So often, I try to push things forward in order to make them happen, but I’m learning I need to quit pushing and wait on God.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by One Girl, godledlife. godledlife said: (in)courage: Opening The Ragu: I push down. I turn it to the right. But still the lid won’t … http://chrst.in/u/6agb #christian #faith […]
VERY nice post! Really got me thinking! Thanks!
This didn’t really help me you prick head