“You won’t hurt me. You love me.” Those seven words make up two of my favorite all-time sentences.  The reason is because several years ago when my daughter was three years old, I asked her to trust me and do something. As only little girls can, she looked up at me, smiled, and gently said those precious words. I have to admit that I still get a little teary-eyed a decade later thinking about that conversation.
This morning I was ambushed by emotion driving to work as that conversation, for some unexpected reason, popped into my mind. Maybe it’s because I know so many people who are hurting. Maybe it’s the difficult and uncertain economic times we are in. Maybe it’s the level of suffering I see globally. Maybe it’s the increase in natural disasters. Maybe it’s all the above.Â
We live in a broken and fallen world because of sin. As a result, no one is immune from pain and suffering. Unfortunately, bad things do happen to good people. But God loves us and would never hurt us. On the contrary, He is the anchor we hold onto during those unfortunate times.
“You won’t hurt me. You love you me.” teaches me the following leadership lessons:
- The responsibility that comes with the unbelievable level of trust my daughter places in me. I cannot let her down.
- Fathers should strive to create environments of trust, security, and safety for their families.
- As parents we set precedent each day because we are sending our children off to time we cannot see.
- The importance of investment. My daughter and I are still have wonderfully close relationship a decade later. It began when she was a baby.
- Is anything more important than family?
- Leaders should always prioritize serving others rather than being self-serving.
- We are all fragile.
- All storms are temporary. When bad things happen, we can make it through because God wants the best for us.
- When bad things happen, our natural default mode should be to turn to the One who loves us more than anything.
- Personal inventory. Do I trust my Heavenly Father like my daughter trusts me when He asks me to do something?
If you are a leader or just an average person (if there is such a thing) who is scared today, who is facing uncertainty, who is experiencing pain, I ask you to let my daughter’s words from a decade ago comfort you. Just say “God, you won’t hurt me. You love me.”
Than let me know what happens next.
For more inspirational thoughts on dealing with difficult circumstances, click the following: