Don't Drop the Baby
Don’t Drop the Baby
My family and I had a birthday party at my parents’ house for all those in the family that were born in the month of January. There’s a total of five, so it’s a busy month for birthdays. It’s always nice when family is able to get together. All the cousins get to see each other, and all the aunts and uncles and grandparents get to interact with all the kids.
It’s always the best part of any family gathering when we get to play with the kids. Flipping them all around and tickling them until they just can’t stand it. Holding them upside down and act like they are gonna fall and then quickly pulling them back up. My favorite is throwing them in the air. I catch them, of course, but it’s the look on their face while they are momentarily suspended and almost frozen for a brief moment. Then they come falling back into your arms with smiles and giggles.
I watched my dad do something similar to my one year old nephew and it got me thinking about childlike faith. It got me wondering if our faith in God has grown up a little too much. Or if it’s “matured” a bit more than it should.
You see, children will believe anything. If you have some of your own or are around any then you know. Adults are so quick to tell kids outlandish things either for fun or boredom or any other reason. And it’s truly not the fault of the child that they, more often than not, believe you. Children aren’t naturally gullible; they are naturally trusting.
I think overall, people who are gullible get a really bad rap. They aren’t dumb - they simply trust more than you do. This is a way we learn. We learn by trusting that the information people around us or those in authority over us are telling us is truth.
Kids have a higher level of trust because they haven’t learned why they shouldn’t. Only why they should. Kids have learned to trust in those who are taking care of them, so they naturally bend towards trust because of that. Trust is built in a nurturing environment so they naturally trust those who care for them.
As children of God have we lost that trust? Have we lost that faith? Have we lost that belief that truly anything is possible? One reason why kids believe that anything is possible is because they haven’t lived through the many letdowns in life that adults have. And maybe that’s the problem. We’ve let the letdowns take us down.
Maybe we believe that God can, but we’ve limited that belief down to will He? I know He can but will He? If it only takes childlike faith to move mountains then how much more could “adult” faith move? Maybe it’s because we’ve changed how we view God?
There’s a difference between childlike faith and childish faith. Childlike faith is letting God throw you in the air while you have the most gleeful look on your face because you know He’s going to catch you and smile back. Childlike faith believes what someone close to them tells them. Childlike faith believes that you can step out of a boat and walk on water. Childlike faith believes that you can calm a storm with a simple word. Childlike faith believes that you can heal blindness by rubbing dirt on their eyes. Childlike faith believes that thousands of people can be fed with a single lunch. Childlike faith doesn’t reason or question. That’s childish faith.
Sometimes, the more you learn, the more you lean. But there’s a sidebar to that line. Proverbs 3:6 says to lean not on YOUR own understanding. The verse implies to lean into God’s understanding of things; not your own. That’s childlike faith. To lean on Him no matter what. To believe Him even when you don’t understand.
You either lean towards or lean away. Lean in or lean on. Lean into God or lean on your own understanding. And leaning in not only takes but also develops faith.
Faith produces obedience. Trust produces comfort. Faith and trust go hand-in-hand and fit perfectly together just like yours and God’s hands. Faith and trust produce obedience and comfort. Just like my nephew when my dad threw him in the air. There may not have been much obedience in that moment, but there sure was a lot of comfort.
Sometimes obedience can be scary. That’s one reason why Jesus said He would give us peace. Not just any peace but His peace. Because you’re gonna need it if you want to get back to that childlike faith that moves mountains. You’re gonna need it if you’re gonna walk on water. You’re gonna need it if you stand before a storm and tell it to be still.
So if this is for you, get rid of the childish faith and get a hold of the childlike faith.
My family and I had a birthday party at my parents’ house for all those in the family that were born in the month of January. There’s a total of five, so it’s a busy month for birthdays. It’s always nice when family is able to get together. All the cousins get to see each other, and all the aunts and uncles and grandparents get to interact with all the kids.
It’s always the best part of any family gathering when we get to play with the kids. Flipping them all around and tickling them until they just can’t stand it. Holding them upside down and act like they are gonna fall and then quickly pulling them back up. My favorite is throwing them in the air. I catch them, of course, but it’s the look on their face while they are momentarily suspended and almost frozen for a brief moment. Then they come falling back into your arms with smiles and giggles.
I watched my dad do something similar to my one year old nephew and it got me thinking about childlike faith. It got me wondering if our faith in God has grown up a little too much. Or if it’s “matured” a bit more than it should.
You see, children will believe anything. If you have some of your own or are around any then you know. Adults are so quick to tell kids outlandish things either for fun or boredom or any other reason. And it’s truly not the fault of the child that they, more often than not, believe you. Children aren’t naturally gullible; they are naturally trusting.
I think overall, people who are gullible get a really bad rap. They aren’t dumb - they simply trust more than you do. This is a way we learn. We learn by trusting that the information people around us or those in authority over us are telling us is truth.
Kids have a higher level of trust because they haven’t learned why they shouldn’t. Only why they should. Kids have learned to trust in those who are taking care of them, so they naturally bend towards trust because of that. Trust is built in a nurturing environment so they naturally trust those who care for them.
As children of God have we lost that trust? Have we lost that faith? Have we lost that belief that truly anything is possible? One reason why kids believe that anything is possible is because they haven’t lived through the many letdowns in life that adults have. And maybe that’s the problem. We’ve let the letdowns take us down.
Maybe we believe that God can, but we’ve limited that belief down to will He? I know He can but will He? If it only takes childlike faith to move mountains then how much more could “adult” faith move? Maybe it’s because we’ve changed how we view God?
There’s a difference between childlike faith and childish faith. Childlike faith is letting God throw you in the air while you have the most gleeful look on your face because you know He’s going to catch you and smile back. Childlike faith believes what someone close to them tells them. Childlike faith believes that you can step out of a boat and walk on water. Childlike faith believes that you can calm a storm with a simple word. Childlike faith believes that you can heal blindness by rubbing dirt on their eyes. Childlike faith believes that thousands of people can be fed with a single lunch. Childlike faith doesn’t reason or question. That’s childish faith.
Sometimes, the more you learn, the more you lean. But there’s a sidebar to that line. Proverbs 3:6 says to lean not on YOUR own understanding. The verse implies to lean into God’s understanding of things; not your own. That’s childlike faith. To lean on Him no matter what. To believe Him even when you don’t understand.
You either lean towards or lean away. Lean in or lean on. Lean into God or lean on your own understanding. And leaning in not only takes but also develops faith.
Faith produces obedience. Trust produces comfort. Faith and trust go hand-in-hand and fit perfectly together just like yours and God’s hands. Faith and trust produce obedience and comfort. Just like my nephew when my dad threw him in the air. There may not have been much obedience in that moment, but there sure was a lot of comfort.
Sometimes obedience can be scary. That’s one reason why Jesus said He would give us peace. Not just any peace but His peace. Because you’re gonna need it if you want to get back to that childlike faith that moves mountains. You’re gonna need it if you’re gonna walk on water. You’re gonna need it if you stand before a storm and tell it to be still.
So if this is for you, get rid of the childish faith and get a hold of the childlike faith.
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1 Comment
This is a good reminder to hold on to childlike, trusting faith ever after we've had letdowns. I love the picture of God not only catching us, but smiling at us when we look to Him and let Him. This is a beautiful picture of the Father's love coupled with His joy in us, especially when we trust Him. Thanks.