The business of putting off and on

Jay Adams, one of my favorite Christian counsellors, does an excellent job of explaining the putting off and putting on passage of Paul. Adams says that the only way to put off is to put on. For example, if you have a habit of complaining, it will not do simply to resolve to stop doing so. Instead, to gain victory, you must cultivate a deep thankfulness. Similarly, Paul says in Eph.4:28: "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need."

Now, what will putting off our culture's fear and distain of children look like? I have seen it in one of my friends who, in her 40s, had prayed fervently for another baby and, upon discovering that she was with child, began doing cartwheels. Sadly, they have since lost this little one. And I have seen it in another friend who, anticipating adding by adoption two more children to their family of eight, would weep as the adoption process stalled at times and the outcome was unclear. These prayers and tears and cartwheels give me hope. Aslan is on the move.