Abandoned Social Protocol

Let me tell you two stories today: one about a puppy and another about a mentally challenged man.

There once was a puppy who was the runt of the litter. He had eight other littermates that were stronger and bigger and more apt to survive. The mother with nine puppies licked, cleaned and cared for the eight but neglected the ninth. It is survival of the fittest in the natural world.

The master of the dogs manipulated, without being invasive, the survival of the runt. The small pup’s survival was due to the owner. But regardless of his guidance, the attention of the mother was very limited towards the runt.

After the litter was weaned, the runt began to thrive, grow and naturally flourish. Amply fed and cared for, most living things will typically thrive.  But this puppy had lack.  Nurture wasn’t provided hence he was skittish, excitable and probably his brain didn’t develop fully due to malnutrition.

He was so excitable that any affection directed at him made him urinate all over himself. He would awkwardly throw his body at any attention directed his way, often pushing down the giver. Attention was over-stimulating and made him hysterical.

So now let me tell you about a man. I met this gentleman at the pool during my daily exercise.  At first glance, you’d never know there was anything wrong.  But with any dialogue, his slowness became apparent. I gave him a common and ordinary southern greeting, and to this, he immediately began to cling to me verbally. He so wanted to be acknowledged and interacted with. I offered him pleasantries and then proceeded to go about my swimming.

After finishing, I left the pool and went to the locker room to shower and change. As I prepared to leave, grabbing my jacket, I felt a presence behind me. It was this man. He stood there, without any clothes on, with a desire to talk. He wanted so badly to interact with someone. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, I quickly closed out the conversation, said goodbye and left. As I drove home I asked the Lord, “What was that about?” The Lord told me, “He was a child.”

This man was unguarded and not fortressed by social protocol. He hadn’t been trained in life, schooled through pain and embarrassment, to know what is acceptable and not. This man had no governor on his emotions. He was wide-open and desired fellowship. His nudity, I believe, was his willingness to come without pretense, simply wanting to be known.

Now you may say, how in the world are you going to connect these stories with me, your readership? Well I can tell you that I have thrown myself at people who opened up a conversation with me.  I might not have relieved myself but I did make a mess.  I have stripped myself down looking for love. I might not have done it with clothing but I certainly did it verbally. My neediness begged for affection, attention and acknowledgment. This too probably made people rather uncomfortable. We know social protocol, and when it is violated, we are made extremely uncomfortable.

Well I am here to tell you, there is One who is not governed by social do’s and don’ts. And He happens to be the One who created me. My hunger and my thirst is satisfied in His gaze and by His focus. Yes, I was created to interact with those around me – love them, listen to them, and care about them. But they are not my Source, and when I seek them as source, I am sorely chastened with shunning and disapproval.

Now this isn’t something that the wounded person can orchestrate. We can ask for it but I do know that the Father is on it. He is moving us towards it and looking to bring it about. The nurturing of our souls is in the One who can gain our attention. When I seek Jesus as Source, He will fill me and make me whole.  The next step is beautiful: I am then able to point others seeking a source in His direction, and the cycle continues.