Hold On Lightly

We are taught from a young age to hold on tightly to things that are important.  An ice cream cone comes with the admonition:  “Hold on to it!  Don’t drop it!”  A gift of money comes with “Hold on to it!  Put it in your pocket so you won’t lose it!”   When handed a cup of milk, the words “Don’t drop it!  Hold on to it with both hands!” echo through the air.

No wonder it’s so hard for us when we have to let go of something – especially when it’s something valuable or something that we love.

Last week, I had some money in my pocket – a hundred dollar bill to be exact.  Someone had given it to me as a gift.  I was holding on to it with plans of using it for some extra expenses I knew were coming in the next few days – expenses that I wouldn’t be able to cover out of my monthly budget.

But, as I was sitting in church on Sunday morning, I heard a little voice telling me that I needed to give my hundred dollar bill to someone – let’s call him Simon.  I knew that Simon needed that money – but so did I.  It was MY hundred dollar bill.  Every time I looked at Simon, I felt more and more convinced that I needed to give him the money, but my mind was fighting me every step of the way. 

Then, I heard the little voice say, “You have to hold on lightly.” 

“Wait – that can’t be right.  It’s hold on t-i-g-h-t-l-y.”

“No.  You heard me.  You have to hold on lightly.  You have to be willing to let go.”

“I’m sure that I need to hold on tightly.  This money was a gift to me, and I need it.”

“No.  Hold on lightly.  Be willing to let go.  Trust me.  When you let go, I take care of the rest.”

This conversation went on for quiet a while, but I finally decided to listen to the little voice.  I handed the hundred dollar bill to Simon, knowing that it was never really mine in the first place.  The tears in his eyes when I put the money into his hand told me that I had done the right thing.

I have another precious gift that I’ve held tightly for 18 years.  She was placed into my arms as a tiny baby, and I’ve held her and watched her grow and worried about her and prayed for her and dreaded the day when she would leave me.  That day is finally here.  She leaves for college next week.  She’s moving to another state.  It’s a hard 9-hour drive to get there.

And, I hear that same little voice saying, “You have to hold her lightly.”

“That can’t be right. I have to take care of her.  I have to protect her.  I have to hold her t-i-g-h-t-l-y.”

“No.  You heard me.  You have to hold her lightly.  You have to let her go.  You have to release her into my care and know that I will look after her.  When you let go, I take care of the rest.  It’s time.”

So, next week, I will let her go, knowing that she was never really mine in the first place.  She was entrusted into my care for a season precisely so that she could leave when the time was right.  God has great plans for her – plans that she can never accomplish if I hold on too tightly.

Letting go is hard, but it's the right thing to do.  So hold on lightly....