Undoubtedly you’ve heard the phrase that  “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”. Most often this is seen as a negative thing. The fact is a recent negative experience got me thinking of the expression. Last night I participated (I use that term lightly) in a meeting where an individual singlehandedly dominated, distracted and elongated the proceedings. It was frustrating… to say the very least. More than once others asked him to curtail his questioning so that we could get through the agenda. I went home feeling that I had wasted a few precious hours of my time and that we had not accomplished anything.

Then this morning during my reflective time I made the mistake of re-visiting the whole debacle. As I prayed about it I was increasingly drawn to the reality of how squeaky I must be to Jesus. Squeaky because of my choices. Squeaky because of my insecurities. Squeaky because of my constant questions. I’m squeaky in all the most possibly annoying ways.

Even though that is true… perhaps especially because that is true… He continues to give me the attention I need.

There is a story in the Bible where these little kids were trying to get close to Jesus. The disciples – Christ’s spiritual (or so they thought) bodyguards – decided to keep these squeaky kids from bothering Jesus. Jesus’ response was, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Wow what a rebuke to the disciples… and to me.

Instead of feeling hampered or put out, I need to see squeaky people as Jesus sees me – the squeaky wheel gets the grace.