However, God occasionally loves to make an appearance and remind us that those young children MIGHT just be onto something.
It’s quite simple for us to forget what it’s like to have the innocent faith that God exhorts us to in Matthew 18:3 as grownups.
We frequently forget that the God of the universe has a count on all of our minor needs as our expenses mount, our duties grow, and our gray hairs expand rapidly due to worldly concerns.
Having the faith of a child appears, well, juvenile in a culture whose favorite new tagline is “Adulting is hard.” We seem to have reluctantly accepted the hardships of this difficult path that is life beyond 10 years old (at least that’s when it got hard for me).
Sara Moore Gruver, who had a doorstep encounter with God this week, shares a life lesson she learned from her son Josh in a widely shared Facebook post. This mother’s aged soul was gently reminded once more of “what it means to have the faith of a child” by it:
I currently have $20 in my possession. Food was purchased and bills were paid, but this week there wasn’t much left over. It’s alright. My kids then pleaded for ice cream on the way home after grocery shopping today. pleaded. shed actual tears. Every bit of drama. No, I replied. My finances are tight, and I might need the $20 before I get paid. We don’t need to stop at the ice cream shop because we have a ton of delicious meals at home. God, we would really enjoy some ice cream, I thought as I heard small sighs from the back seat. Is there a possibility you could give mommy a little cash so we can go ice cream shopping tonight? We’re confident you can. I’m grateful.
Oh my god. “Guys, no money is going to magically appear on our doorstep so you two can get ice cream,” I remarked. He is currently VERY busy due to natural disasters.
“Nope,” replied Josh. “God promised you plenty of money for ice cream and to donate some to those affected by natural disasters.”
Josh, that’s not how it works. I began, but eventually gave up. After that, we arrived at our house.
And the mail was on my doorstep.
There was an envelope in the mail.
A $123 cheque was in the mail. from an excess payment I made on a student loan that I settled in 2007.
THIS …
The children were not taken aback. God did not take offense. They were given ice cream. Someone donated to the Red Cross.
And Mom was reminded once more of what it meant to have a child’s faith.
“And he said, ‘You will never enter the kingdom of heaven unless you turn and become like children,'” Matthew 18:3