It seems that for the past year or so, one of the few things that God has been showing me- is children.
Well, I should say has showed me as much as he has anyone who so chooses to read through the red letters. We see constantly Jesus' love for children. For probably the same reason we love children. They believe us. Anything we say, they believe. Anything we do, they immitate quite accurately. They love us absolutely.
In the midst of skeptics, Pharisees, and even his disciples constantly questioning Jesus, I can imagine it to have been quite refreashing to have children run to him for simply his touch (Matthew 19:13-15). The rest want a sign (Matthew 16:1-4), but the children just come. Jesus goes as far as saying that unless we become as children, the Kingdom is not for us (Matthew 18:3-4). And considering that same Kingdom is here and now, perhaps Jesus would have us humble oursleves in child-like wonder, here and now.
I then read this passage in Brennan Manning's Ragamuffin Gospel(Visual Edition, I highly reccomend it).
The Kingdom belongs to people who aren't trying to look good or impress anybody, even themselves, worrying about how their actions will be interpreted or wondering if they will get gold stars for their behavior. Twenty centuries later, Jesus speaks pointedly to the preening ascetic trapped in the fatal narcissism of spiritual perfectionism, to those of us caught up in boasting about our victories in the vineyard, to those of us fretting and flapping about our human weaknesses and character defects. The child doesn't have to struggle to get himself in a good position for having a relationship with God; he doesn't have to craft ingenious ways of explaining his position to Jesus; he doesn't have to create a pretty face for himself; he doesn't have to achieve any state of spiritual feeling or intellectual understanding. All he has to do his happily accept the cookies, the gift of the kingdom.
Accept the Cookies
3 comments:
thanks for explaining.
rob bell did a sermon recently and he had children on stage coloring while he was talking. he said that if we were able to take a look at what those children were thinking about we would see, "I'm coloring this bird blue." or something very simple and focused on the thing they are doing. they don't fret about the future ("what will i do after i color this?") or concern themselves about what ppl will think ("will anyone like my blue bird?"). they just do what they are doing.
okay, i can't quite explain it like rob, but it was a good message about how we are to become like children.
Children are one of my favorite things about the world. They haven't figured out concepts like manipulation or reputation maintenance. They are eager to learn, humbled by their limited understanding of the complexities of life. They love without question. They possess a peculiar sort of intuition that often allows them to discern good from evil. They genuinely enjoy life.
You're right, Michael. Each one of us could benefit from learning by their example.
children are so wonderful. god has shown me SO much about himself just in the past three weeks after having a child of my own (though i have to remind myself numerous times daily that Trey isn't mine...i'm just a "babysitter") I had been having trouble understanding God's love for me. I mean, I was really wrestling with it. How do you understand something that is that BIG? Then, while rocking this little jewel, it became clearer. Eventhough I have only known this little boy for three weeks, there is no way on earth I could give him up to save someone else. he's so innocent...so helpless. but God did. he gave up his only son, whom he loved SO much, and watched him suffer...that brings me to tears.
it kills me when trey is screaming because something is wrong. if he's hungry, or has gas, or even just that sometimes he cries because he's helpless and still trying to figure out what all these bright lights and loud voices are...whatever it is, when he's suffering i can barely stand it. relating this is how i began to see more of Gods love.
FUNNY, as i sit here writing this, trey is in my lap sound asleep...but he just all of a sudden jumped and started crying really hard...he had a bad dream i think...it broke my heart, and i hate it, but every time this happens, its almost like God uses it to remind me of his love for me.
Post a Comment