One day, when my youngest was learning to ride a bike, I was watching her and noticed that she was riding strong with little need for the training wheels that were still connected to the back of her bicycle. Clearly, she was ready to ride without them. So I told her it was time to take them off. She was a little hesitant, but agreed, not sure of herself. We took them off, she started zipping down the road, lost her balance, and wiped out. Crying, she said, "I'm not ready, Daddy! You shouldn't have taken them off!" The training wheels went back on. Two days later, she came to me and said, "Now I'm ready Daddy! Can you take the wheels off now?" I said, "No, Baby, remember what happened the other day? I don't want to take them off until you're sure you're ready." She responded, "I'm ready Daddy. PLEEEAASSSSE take them off!" So I did. She got on that bike and confidently zoomed down the road with no problem whatsoever. When it came to stopping, I was watching her and holding my breath just a bit. She tipped over, but immediately turned to me and said, "I'm okay! Stay there!" She got back on the bike and rode powerfully back to where I was watching. "See, Daddy! I told you I was ready!!"
Did my daughter get special lessons in the day between the two events? Did she acquire any special skills that she didn't have the first time she tried? No. The difference was that she believed. How much are we not doing because we don't believe we can? You can do a lot more than you think. You'd better believe it.
Readings: Leviticus 20:22-22:16; Mark 9:1-29; Psalm 43:1-5a; Proverbs 10:18
