Childlike Faith: Rubbermaids of Manna…
And Jesus 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. Matthew 18:3, 4
Jesus does not say here that He’s looking to fill His kingdom with competent, capable, self-sufficient, independent, strong and educated people. Children are relatively incompetent, weak, incapable, uneducated and dependent. Is one of your life goals to change and become more like a child? I’ve been wrestling with this because it would seem that, according to Jesus, child-likeness is an essential requirement for kingdom membership. What would it even look like to pursue that in this world that lives for the opposite?
I feel like I’ve been truly blessed to be surrounded by some beautiful examples of kingdom children here. They haven’t grown up and learned to live independently from God and how to fit Him in a safe little box yet. Like children, they live, give, love and pray like they actually believe that their heavenly Father is so big, so strong and so mighty that there is nothing He can not do. Their Dad can beat up anybody’s dad, because their Dad created the Universe and rose from the dead. They give like they have the richest, most generous Dad in the world, they recklessly love like Jesus recklessly loved them, and they actually trust in their heavenly Father, because, really, if He gave His own Son to die so we wouldn’t have to, who’s more trustworthy than Him?
Marcella is a beautiful example to me of one of these “kingdom kids”. She has been reaching out to all her neighbors here at Park Lane, because, according to her, “Why wouldn’t you, that’s what Jesus did for me and asked me to do for Him”. She hasn’t yet learned to keep the gift of the Gospel to herself yet, and I hope she never does.
Anyway, one of the ladies she’s been actively loving recently is a neighbor we’ll call Maria. Maria has been having some serious financial difficulties recently and couldn’t even afford shampoo. Marcella was down to her last five dollars, but decided Maria could use it more than her. So Maria, Marcella and Marcella’s last 5 bucks loaded up in the car and headed to the Dollar Store to get some toiletries. They get to the Dollar Store and on the way in notice a crowd of people gathered outside. They make their way through the crowd and find a radio station broadcasting live in front of the store. The radio station is having a raffle for a huge Rubbermaid full of kitchen and bathroom supplies.
Marcella and Maria each get a ticket and Marcella starts praying out loud. Maria elbows her and asks her what she’s doing. “I’m talking to God about our needs”. Maria awkwardly looks down and around. After praying for a bit, Marcella leans over and tells Maria, “Hey, I got the winning ticket”. Maria looks over and shoots Marcella one of those, “You’re loco” looks.
The DJ guy starts calling out numbers but nobody’s coming forward to claim the prize. Eventually though Marcella’s number get’s called. She elbows Maria, points up, and says, “See”. Maria looks back and forth between Marcella and the sky with a stunned look of amazement on her face. They claim their prize and head home.
Marcella has needs too though and on the way home starts talking to God about it. Her God is powerful and cares about her needs too, so she gets Maria and they head back to the Dollar Store to get another Rubbermaid of bathroom manna. They ask the guy if they can play again, and he says, “Sure, and here’s the winning ticket”. They wait in the crowd again, and like the first time, go through several non winning tickets before Marcella’s number is called again. Maria and her family have started coming to church now.
I listened as Jorge and Marcella told the story and was struck about how matter a fact they were about God’s supernatural provision for them. I kept saying, “Are you kidding me!?” To which Jorge would reply, “What do you mean?”
It dawned on me that based on what they’ve read in the Bible, this was a very normal interaction with an all powerful and all loving God. Why would their interaction with God be so different from God’s interaction with the widow of Zarephath who surrendered the last of her family’s resources in faith to God, and as a result got to see God supernaturally provide her with unlimited oil and flour, or Moses and the Israelites, who followed God out into the desert and got to see Him provide water from the rock, food from the sky and safe passage through the sea? In the Bible, when His children surrender everything to Him and follow Him anywhere, He takes care of them.
Sometimes I think I’d rather die clutching my last little hot cake, or enslaved in Egypt, than to live a fully surrendered life. I want to walk on the water with Jesus, but don’t ask me to give up the floaties and life preserver. Hearing Marcella’s story of childlike faith left me feeling glad that she took Maria and her last $5 to the Dollar Store before talking with me. I probably would’ve tried to talk her out of it and helped her grow in the fiscal responsibility department. Marcella’s story has also left me longing for her childlike interaction with our Heavenly Father, but also fearing being in a position of desperate need.
How many of us long for God to show up supernaturally in our lives, but cringe at the thought of actually being in a position where we need Him? How many of us have felt the closest to Him in our darkest most desperate days? I wonder why we expect to see Him show up when we’ve gone to such lengths to insulate ourselves from needing Him? When we’re hungry, we go to the grocery store, when we’re sick, we go to the doctor and have insurance pay for it. We feel safe not because God is our Father and is protecting us, but because we have locks on our houses and don’t live around scary people. What do we really need God for? I mean, besides things like salvation. Where are we actually living by faith and not by sight? Why do we expect to see God part the Jordan river, when we aren’t willing to step out into the river while it rages by?
I’m not anti insurance, or anti money, or pro danger, I’m just wanting to obediently move more in the direction of childlike dependance, and not just theoretically, but actually. I’m also not saying that God is calling all of us to give everything away and follow Him into the desert, or jump into the Jordan river. I’m just wanting to be genuinely willing to if that’s what He thinks would be best.
Would I give away my last 5 bucks in Jesus name to buy some shampoo for a needy person? Would you? If not, why not? Would I even allow myself to be in a position where I only had 5 bucks to my name? Would you? If not, why not? I mean seriously, if you wouldn’t, why wouldn’t you? Would that be a decision we’d regret one day when we stand before our Savior who gave away His life for us? So, why do I spend every fiber of my being avoiding being in that position? Are we living and giving and loving and trusting in such a way that if God doesn’t show up we’re toast? How is He getting glory from our lives if we can pull everything off without Him?
If Jesus calls the children the “greatest” in His kingdom, I’m learning that I need to stop looking down on them, feeling sorry for them, and trying to teach them to be more competent, capable, self-sufficient, smart, strong and independent like me. Instead, I think I need to start looking up to them, learning from them, and seeking to be more incompetent, weak, incapable and God-dependent, like them.
God is amazing, thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to see you, March 13th is going to be here quick. By the way, thanks for the tee shirt, that was cool of you. As for the story and being dependant on God, God has shown up in my financial life and made it very clear that the money is His and comes directly from Him. He continues to blow me away with how my families needs are met in all sorts of “strange” ways and I never had to be down to my last $5 to be dependent on Him because I know that tommorow I could be right there if He so chooses. It seems that the more He gives, the more ways He is showing me and teaching to give back. I am tring to hold it in an open hand and use His money to His glory. God is faithful and He does what He says He will do. I like knowing that.