My daughter’s runny nose had worsened, so we went to the ENT clinic. During the check-up, she suddenly told the doctor that she wanted to try taking pills. Until then, she had only taken liquid medicine mixed with powder. The doctor smiled broadly and said cheerfully, “Challenge accepted!” At the pharmacy, the pharmacist told me to bring the medicine back if she couldn’t swallow the pills.
Once we got home, her pill-swallowing challenge began; and it was quite the ordeal. She barely managed to swallow the two small tablets, but couldn’t get down the capsule or the larger round pill. She kept drinking water in an attempt to swallow, but ended up gagging. Realizing it wouldn’t work, I returned to the pharmacy with the medicine. The pharmacist told us to keep practicing with the small tablets and kindly re-prepared the others as powder.
Watching my daughter try to swallow the pills brought many thoughts to mind. Just as a child progresses from drinking milk to eating solid food, growing in faith from spiritual infancy to maturity takes time and trials. But I realized I had often been impatient with those whose faith was still young, frustrated when they struggled to accept God’s word. I saw how much I lacked love. I felt sorry for those brothers and sisters who, in their own way, were earnestly practicing and trying to grow.
From now on, just as our Heavenly Parents have done for me, I will pray for my spiritual family and prepare the food of God’s word with love and care, offering it in the right measure at the proper time.