Lessons in Questions
The other day, my nine year-old was being unkind to the 4 year-old, and the 12 year-old told him that he should be treating his younger brother as Jesus would. She went on to say that we should always try to be more like Jesus in everything we do. (Thanks, dear!) Being a practical-minded 9 year-old, he asked if we are never going to actually be like Jesus, since we are imperfect to begin with, why should we even try? At that point, I was called in by the 12 year-old to take over. Taking a big breath, and wishing Jay was there to help, I launched into a theological discussion with the nine year-old. This job of mothering sure does require a lot of thinking on my feet, and I'm not very good at that. I prefer to mull things over for a few days, thinking of a good response, trying to find the right words. I would like time to tinker with and tweak my answer. But kids need responses now, not in a few days when they have forgotten what they were asking!
On the surface his question seemed simple and straightforward, but it stuck with me for a week or so. Not only the why of trying to be like Jesus, but the how and the when. And applied to me. Ouch. Am I trying to be more like Jesus? Am I like Him when I talk to the kids? How would Jesus discipline my kids? Am I like Him in the way I treat my husband, my neighbors, or even strangers? And what would it look like? I mean, Jesus could respond in a couple of different ways to any given situation, so how would I know how to respond? Of course, He would respond in the way that was most needed, but I would probably fumble that.
So I am left with just trying to be like Him. In trying, I sometimes fail, and sometimes succeed. Even success is not 100% perfect. In the failures, which are plenty, there is learning; and in the successes, which are not so plenty, there is comfort. But fail or succeed, we try out of gratitude for what He has done for us. And that was the bottom line in our discussion; we do it out of gratitude, just like when someone does something nice for us, we usually (but not always) want to act nicer toward that person.
Is this is why Jesus has such a fondness for children? Not only because they are cute and cuddly, but because He knows their minds are open to His truths: turning, probing and asking questions. Questions that may seem simple to us, but in their answers, profound truths are found. I have so much to learn! May I try to reflect Him when those little (and big) children come to me with their questions; and may I continue, with the help of the Spirit, point them to God for the answers.
On the surface his question seemed simple and straightforward, but it stuck with me for a week or so. Not only the why of trying to be like Jesus, but the how and the when. And applied to me. Ouch. Am I trying to be more like Jesus? Am I like Him when I talk to the kids? How would Jesus discipline my kids? Am I like Him in the way I treat my husband, my neighbors, or even strangers? And what would it look like? I mean, Jesus could respond in a couple of different ways to any given situation, so how would I know how to respond? Of course, He would respond in the way that was most needed, but I would probably fumble that.
So I am left with just trying to be like Him. In trying, I sometimes fail, and sometimes succeed. Even success is not 100% perfect. In the failures, which are plenty, there is learning; and in the successes, which are not so plenty, there is comfort. But fail or succeed, we try out of gratitude for what He has done for us. And that was the bottom line in our discussion; we do it out of gratitude, just like when someone does something nice for us, we usually (but not always) want to act nicer toward that person.
Is this is why Jesus has such a fondness for children? Not only because they are cute and cuddly, but because He knows their minds are open to His truths: turning, probing and asking questions. Questions that may seem simple to us, but in their answers, profound truths are found. I have so much to learn! May I try to reflect Him when those little (and big) children come to me with their questions; and may I continue, with the help of the Spirit, point them to God for the answers.
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