Recognize Jesus?

In Sunday school one day, the teacher asked a question. It was off-hand, and I think she was expecting that everyone would say, "no."

Would you recognize Jesus if he appeared today?

One person in the class answered that she would certainly recognize Jesus.  She is a person with special needs who has an intellectual age in the high elementary range.  I thought her answer was beautiful. It makes me think that she knows Jesus so well that she couldn't help but recognize him.

Would that we could all answer yes to the question.

 

Child-like Faith: Pray with Honesty and Belief

I love to listen to my older son pray out loud.  He just speaks to God, as if he is certain God is listening; he speaks as if God is sitting next to him; he prays the way he would speak to a friend. There is something honest and unprepared about his prayers. Listening to him pray, you are convinced that he is convinced that someone is listening.

That is the way children pray, I think. With honesty and in belief. That is the last of the 12 characteristics of a Child-like faith - to pray with honesty and in belief.

What if we prayed like that? What difference would it make to our prayer lives if we prayed like a child prays?

Child-like Faith: Read Scriptures

Reading Scriptures doesn't seem like it would be a characteristic of a Child-like faith, but think about children. Do they have a "show me" kind of attitude? There is an innate curiosity in a child.

Our son Josh used to ask questions ALL THE TIME. And I mean, ALL THE TIME. Where are we going? What are we doing? What are you fixing for dinner? Where is Dad? When will he be back? On and on. He had an incredible curiosity.

Do you have that kind of curiosity about the Bible? Do I? Do we yearn to read what it says for ourselves? So often, we take other people's word for what the Bible says. It's possible that there are times when we aren't very energetic about open the book and reading the story for ourselves. We listen to the sermon, we listen to the Sunday school lesson, and we take it for fact. We lack that child-like curiosity to see for ourselves and to ask our own questions of the text.

God speaks to each of us differently through the scriptures. That's why it's called the living word. Get curious, and read it for yourself. I'll try to do the same.

Child-like Faith: Honesty and Humility

In 2006, I wrote a post about humility.  I just went back and read it again because I was struggling to define it for this post.

The secular definition of humility connotes subservience to other people; the theological definition of humility means subservience to God. It may (and probably will) result in acting as a servant to others, but that is a result of obeying the will of God. Sometimes humility will mean standing against injustice – whether in a peaceful protest, on the playground or in the boardroom. Humility doesn’t always mean quiet and meek – sometimes it means loud and annoying – but I would guess that it always means obedience to God and often requires courage.

And then I found this on another post:

Dr. Jarvis says that, "Jesus taught us that children have the qualities necessary to enter heaven: joyful enthusiasm for life and humble dependence."

Compare that to this scripture from Matthew 18:2-4:

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

So, one of the characteristics of a child-like faith is to live with honesty and humility, and perhaps the most humbling act of honesty we can make is to say, "God is God and I am not."

Child-like Faith: Eager for New Adventures

I remember, years ago - 2004? - we took the boys to dinner and told them that we were going to go to Disney World. For them, the possibility was a complete surprise. They had no idea of even the possibility of such a trip.

Were they excited? Yes, yes they were. I realize that the idea of a trip to Disney is exciting just because of the destination, but also, the boys had the sense of a new adventure. They were ready.

With children, there isn't the worries of how will we pack, how will we pay for it, how will we get there, how will we take time off, how will we take care of our pets - none of what bothers adults. There is just an eagerness for a new adventure.

Do we have that as children of faith? Do we have an eagerness for new adventures with God? Do we look forward to where God will take us, without worrying about carrying extra sandals or finding a place to stay (thinking of the 70 Jesus sent out).

An eagerness for a new adventure opens us up to experience it. Thinking of it as an adventure means that we aren't worrying about what it will be or where we will go. The word adventure hints of excitement - and it builds our own attitude towards what will happen.

How would your faith life be different if you anticipated what God will do in your life as an adventure?

Child-like Faith: Cry and laugh

Cry and get over it; laugh and not get over it.

This phrase is number 8 on the list of the characteristics of a Child-Like Faith that we're working our way through. This one speaks of attitude (to me). To me it reminds us to let the grief happen and then end; let the laughter soak into our souls and change us.

When children are small, and something happens that hurts them, the tears come. When our boys were small, and they would fall and get hurt, Steve and I would look at each other and say, "Here it comes"! The tears would come easily, and then would easily be gone (sometimes with the necessary application of love and band-aids).

When Josh was an infant and Grant was three, Grant discovered that he could make his brother laugh. It as a delightful afternoon, as Grant smiled and Josh laughed. I see that in their father and uncle. At family gatherings, when Steve and Bob get started, we all look at each other, and say, "here they go!" The laughter is infectious, and it is part of who they are.

Grief does change us, and we need to let the tears come. We can learn from pain and we can move through it - but on the other side is brighter times - happiness. Laughter we can hold on to. Laughter we can not get over, and we are better for it.

And I think our faith can help us to do this - to cry and move on; to laugh and hold on.

Child-Like Faith: Just as I am

Just as I am - without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
-O Lamb of God, I come!

These familiar words were written by Charlotte Elliot after a night of being kept awake by thoughts of her "apparent uselessness."  When she arose the next morning, the thoughts came back to her, and to release herself from them, she wrote, in verse, the promises of her faith - that God called her just as she was, and that in God she would find salvation.

This is a promise God has made to all of us, and it is an invitation to to us - to come, just as we are.

And yet, there are times when we do not offer that invitation to others. We judge, we reject, we gossip, we hate. If Christ is shining within us, how can we not act like Christ? How can we bring people to God if we do not open ourselves to acceptance as Christ has accepted us?

This is part of a child-like faith. "To like everyone, just as they are."

Child-like Faith: Forgive

When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone, he thought he was being generous by offering to forgive seven times. I imagine he was surprised when Jesus responded  seventy times seven. In the story of the person who is forgiven an almost immeasurable amount, we find a person who turns around and can't forgive a comparatively small amount.

Why is it that we, a people who have been forgiven much, are reluctant to forgive? 

Is it that we savor the feeling of being "right?" Do we enjoy the superiority of being in the position of being able to forgive someone? Do we think forgiveness makes us appear weak? Needy? Are we afraid that if we forgive, we will be condoning the wrong? Or are we afraid that if we forgive, we will be vulnerable to the hurt of being wronged again? Can we not bring ourselves to the brink of letting go of how terrible the wrong done to us was?

I think it is all of these reasons - and more.

We are called to a child-like faith. What does a child do? Is a child innocent enough to forgive and move on? To even, at times, to trust again?

Child-Like Faith: Constant Sense of Expectancy

What does it mean to have a constant sense of expectancy? I remember when I was a child looking forward with anticipation to Christmas. I knew something great was going to happen. There was a sense of expectancy.

Do we expect great things to happen? 

At Blueprint Worship, the band has been singing the song God of this City. This is the chorus:

Greater things have yet to come

and greater things are still to be done

in this city.

My town has a drug problem. It's such a large problem that it's becoming known for the problem. We talk in the church about trying to help, and some steps are taken to bring help, but I also feel a sense of powerlessness in the face of such a large challenge. And then I heard this song.

Greater things have yet to come

and greater things are still to be done

in this city.

There is no God like our God.

It brought me hope. A person with a child-like faith would have a constant sense of expectancy and would be anticipating that God was going to make great things happen.  Things that couldn't be anticipated, but can be expected. 

Child-like Faith: Trust Others Unless...

Finding a child-like faith: Trust others unless....

This hint for having a child-like faith is fourth on the list. It surprises me, because it sounds cynical. Trust others unless -- is there a presupposition there that there will be an "unless?" Let's trust others until the inevitable happens, and our expectation of disappointment is met?

Or maybe that's my own cynical nature coming out.

Perhaps loving our neighbors includes trusting them - includes starting with the idea that they are trustworthy rather than approaching a relationship with the idea that someone needs to earn our trust.

The other day, a person called me at work. He was looking for funds for a project he was associated with in town. He was a friendly person, but he wouldn't tell our administrative assistant what he was calling about - he said it was a "personal matter" and he needed to talk to the Director. Our Executive Director was on the road, so she transferred the call to me. My suspicions were high when I started the conversation, and when he asked somewhat personal questions (such as: where do you live, and when did you graduate from college), I didn't want to answer. He was trying have a conversation, and I, who am in the relationship business, was wary. It felt very awkward.

I hadn't started with the "trust others unless..." place, whether right or wrong.

We are suspicious by nature, and perhaps a child-like faith calls us to be trusting by nature.

Child-Like Faith: Believe without seeing

Believe without seeing.

How easy it is to see this in a child. A child believes in God, with an enviable certainty. As we grow, we become jaded and cynical. Our trust is betrayed by those we believe, we are taught to believe what we have the evidence to prove. We have to live like that in order to survive; we can't believe without seeing, or we'll be falling for every scam that presents itself. We would be hurt countless times as we believe those we cannot and should not trust.

But in all of that, do we forget to trust God? Do we get so jaded, that we lose the certainty of our faith?

I'm not talking about turning off our brains and believing without critical study. We are called to explore our faith, to reach our own conclusions about the scriptures and those who preach about it. We are called to give all we have, including our questions and our doubts, to God. I'm talking about the child-like trust in God that we seem to lose.

When we say, "thy will be done," do we mean it? Do we believe that God has the best in mind for us? Can we trust God to do his will, and that we will not be a sacrifice in the process? Do we trust that we are loved by our creator? Do we have the faith to believe that? Without seeing it?

Believe without seeing.

Child-like Faith: Find Pleasure in simple things

Continuing the series of Finding a child-like faith: Find pleasure in simple things.

Do you think that much of our lives is centered around the "big things?" Haven't you seen the demonstration where the speaker places large rocks in a jar, then adds the next smaller size, then the next smaller, and at the end, adds all of the gravel, filing the jar? Not all of the rocks will fit in the jar if he starts with the small things and works his way to the larger ones.  It's a lesson in priorities - find time for the higher priority items in your life first, and then the rest will follow. 

It's a good lesson, and I agree with it, but does it create in us a sense of urgency to complete the big tasks right away, and forget about the small pleasures?

Do we take time for the small things?

The child telling a story, the spouse talking about the day, the sunset, the hobby that brings pleasure - are these small things? Probably not, but they do get lost in the rush of the day.

Perhaps finding pleasure in the simple things meaning opening our eyes to what is around us instead of being so focused on what we are doing. 

And why does that bring us faith? If I rush past the child, I miss God at work in the life of a new creation. If I ignore the spouse, I miss the love of God in this gifted relationship. If I pass up the sunset, I miss the beauty of God at work. If I ignore the simple pleasure of free time, I miss time with God. 

Find pleasure in the simple things.

Child-Like Faith: Each Day a Gift from God

Sunday School Chalkboard

Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.

Our Sunday school lesson a couple of weeks ago was based on the passage in the Gospel when Jesus tells the disciples to not prevent children from coming to him. We talked about having a child-like faith. As part of the discussion, the teacher listed 12 characteristics of a child-like faith. I took of picture of the chalk board, and thought it might be interesting (at least for me) to look at each of these as a blog post. So, over the next few weeks, if all goes as I plan, all twelve will make an appearance here.

The first one was "Greet each day as a gift from God."

I think many of us would say that each day is a gift from God, but do we approach it as if it is? My British History teacher in high school (yes, I had British History, and it was wonderful) was a very upbeat person. He greeted each person who came into the room - he was almost always happy. One day we were talking about it, and he asked me if I knew why he was so upbeat. He had had cancer, and he had survived, so every day was a gift.

What difference would it make in our days if we didn't take the time for granted, but instead greeted each day with excitement and anticipation for what God would bring into our day that day? It sounds kind of "Pollyanna," but it is a child-like attitude. And I think living each day that way would change the way we approach life.

I love the work I do; I love the life I lead. I wake up each morning (after I get out of bed, which might take a little time) looking forward to the day, most days. I can't imagine greeting each day with dread. Is that because of my life, or is it my approach to it? I don't know - maybe a little of both. We can't change our lives with a positive attitude, but a positive attitude can change how we live them? Is that true? I think it might be.

Each day is a gift from God.