Jude helping Daddy wash the car
As a child I hated having my finger nails cut. I squirmed and screamed, wiggled and performed, and cried out in ‘anguish’ as my mom would cut my nails. My eldest son, Jude, however doesn’t have this same fear. This dawned on me a few days ago as I was sitting in our kitchen busy performing some overdue nail maintenance. Whilst lobbing off the chunks of keratin at the end of my fingers Jude approached me saying “Daddy cut fingers… Daddy cut Jude’s fingers, Daddy cut Jude’s fingers”’. It was then as I proceeded to cut his nails that the following revelation hit me. My Dad chewed his finger nails and so I never saw him cut his nails. Jude on the other hand was eager to have his finger nails cut when he saw what I was doing. At his current age (23 months), Jude’s childlikeness along with his relationship with me as his father (and hero) result in a desire to mimic my behaviour. It’s why Jude washes his motorbike since seeing me wash my car. It’s why he insists on playing his little guitar every single day. It’s why he sometimes first grabs one of his little books and pages through it whenever he sits on the potty to do a poo. It’s why even at such a young age he prays when we put him to bed at night. It’s why whenever he hurts himself, or drops or breaks something he says, “oh dear!!!”
Jude washing his toy motorbike
Childlikeness then is not only a key to the kingdom of God, but a key to becoming Christ like. Childlikeness is a key for us to conquer our flesh and walk in the spirit.
So what is it that Jesus said that made me think of this? I’m referring to his statements about becoming like children and his statement that He only does what he sees the father doing. Here are the two portions of scripture.
Matthew 18:2-5 – 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
John 5:19-23 – 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.
Playing guitar with Daddy
In the past I’ve honestly only thought of childlikeness in terms of how I trust God. Even now Jude will leap from the side of a pool into my arms even though he knows he cannot swim on his own. My approach has been much the same when praying for the sick, baptising someone in the spirit, speaking to a large crowd or casting out demons; that is I simply trust God to be true to his word. Seeing the sick healed, or someone filled with the spirit and speaking in tongues, or watching demons manifest and leave has nothing to do with me after I’ve taken my leap. It’s all up to God. Now however I find myself wrestling with this new aspect of childlikeness that I’d not considered. I find myself now reanalysing Jesus’ behaviour as one who did what he saw His Father doing. After all Jesus perfectly lived out everything he taught. Paul (the apostle) understood these concepts of childlikeness and imitation. Paul writes:
If you happy and you know it clap your hands
1 Corinthians 4:14-17 - 14 I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15 Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.
1 Corinthians 10:31 – 11:1 - 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
In conclusion I’m asking my self a few questions;
- What things in my life are good imitations of other solid men in Christ?
- What things in my life are good imitations of things I’ve seen God doing?
- Am I still imitating any ungodly men?
- Am I spending adequate time with the Father? Imitation of someone requires intimate knowledge of them which requires quality time.
With this in mind my number one goal for 2012 is to have at least 365366 quiet times.
Jude reading on the potty
