Saturday October 13th: 4 Cheshvan
We have all, at some point, witnessed very simple, yet profound moments. Imagine a small girl crawling into her grandfather’s lap so that he can read her a Bible story. It’s simple, it’s every day, but a tremendous example of what we, as believers, are supposed to be doing. We are to teach others of the One true God, not just in an informational way, but in a relational way. We need to demonstrate our faith in this practical manner, teaching it to others, particularly our family. Having a loving relationship with one another and expressing it in our behavior to those God brings across our path is something we are called upon to exhibit in our lives. In this way, we demonstrate the humility Christ calls us to.
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom
of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”(Matthew 18:1-4)
Take to heart what this verse is saying. The greatest in the Kingdom is not the most well-known, not the most demonstrative, not the most intelligent – it’s actually the most humble. It’s the one who comes to their Father, as a little child, often times ignorant of things that people like to focus upon, but well-versed in how to climb into their Father’s lap and love Him and be loved by Him.
While we should definitely continue to grow in our understanding of His Word and appropriate those lessonsinto our lives, our expanding knowledge should awaken us to what Christ called “the weightier matters of the Law”: mercy, justice, and faith. If we fail to see that His Word emphasizes matters of the heart and genuine relationship with Him and with others, then we’ve missed the point. Living by these principles before our family and friends and passing them on to our children and others is the very essence of our call to be Messiah’s disciples. We are, in fact, commanded in Deuteronomy 6:6-7:
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach
them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when
you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
This commandment instructs us to teach our children how to live a life that is pleasing to God which means we must have a healthy relationship with Him and with them. While children may not understand all of the technical aspects of the Word, they readily understand the practical aspects of the Word – loving God and loving each other. In other words, a little girl sitting on her grandfather’s lap, listening, loving and being loved says more about what God desires from us and for us than a lifetime of essays and theological dissertations. Let’s pass on what we have learned through healthy, thriving relationships.
Shalom.
