Jackson is my right-hand man.

My son loves to help me do projects and chores around the house (as long as he’s not in the middle of an intense Angry Birds game). Lately, he has “helped” me cook, clean, do dishes and put up ornaments on the Christmas tree.

Usually his helping makes the project longer, messier and more interesting! Jackson’s assistance is not about making my job easier, it is about him learning how to contribute to our family. His eagerness warms my heart, even if it means cleaning up after “cleaning up”.

Sometimes as Christians, we get into the mindset that God needs our help, that God can’t do it without us. Instead of counting it a privilege to be a part of God’s kingdom work, we make it a chore that must be done our way, like organizing silverware in separate dishwasher trays.

In reality, we often help God the same way that Jackson helps me. We are God’s children, and when He invites us to help in the kitchen, it is not about if the cookies are all uniform with perfectly interspersed chocolate chips. It’s about us learning how to be a part of the family and doing things God’s way. It’s about spending time with our Daddy. We may (and probably will) make a mess, but within the confines of God’s grace and guidance, it is a learning experience that God will use for our good.

We will never learn unless we do, and God wants us to practice by His side just as Jackson does by mine.