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| Who do you think you are?!? |
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After church a couple Sundays ago, I found myself cleaning up a big mess made by some of the children in Vacation Bible School (VBS). I guess it wasn’t too considerate of them to leave the mess behind!
As I worked, I found myself wondering why I felt no anger toward them for the mess they made for us to clean. “Well DUH,” I thought, “they’re only children!”
For children, it really is hard to see the messes they make. They’re too focused on what they want out of life to see the many consequences of their actions. It’s even harder for them to see the needs of others, let alone be focused on them. Children generally don’t mean any harm. They’re just living the best they can, enjoying life, and trying not to hurt anyone.
Are we “grown-ups” really any different??? Our Father surely doesn’t think so!
8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
It would be much easier to avoid anger, bitterness, and indignation, and much easier to forgive, if we would only see ourselves as we really are, a bunch of children!
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| To add a comment to "Who do you think you are?!? " |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Good one.
Also, for me, I look at people with the idea of:
if I see them through the eyes of Jesus I can ...........
love them.
Amen
Afterall He looks at me that way, Amen! |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Yeah. You are right Mike. As we are His Children, His love for us will not be diminished even though we make small mistakes at times. Therefore, even if we are grown-ps, we have to become like little children-without getting corrupted in our minds to understand God and to understand Jesus. Kingdom of God is given to such people. I am glad that you and I are part of God's Kingdom/. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Mike, I'm thanking God right now for cleaning up my many many messes of my past. I'm glad I'm one in His bunch of "children"....I really didn't mean any harm, I guess I was being childish at the time. Being Gods child today just means a different mess to clean up, such as a torn apart family, broken hearts and betrayal. Restoring trust and love. Yes God is our "Merry Maid" :) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Yes Mike 25 years ago I was a totally different person. it was not until i humbled myself that I began to die and a new man came alive in me. What a mess I was
I am sure a lot of people did not like the old me. The One Day I grew up ,
great blog. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| Great one Mike. Sure did make me stop and think. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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I love this blog, because we are God's children. And we do make huges messes, and He loves us anyway. Just as we love our children, and the children around us.
Mike, um... the way I read this blog makes me realize that I can have fun and play on your blog. So... I will back in a few minutes. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Great blog. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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oh.. this is fun! |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Hi Mike.
Talking about messes... as a child, I was always taught to clear-up any messes before leaving. As adults, we're taught that its always somebody else's responsibility to clear-up the mess. So as your message applies in the spiritual sense, why is it always God's responsibility to clear-up our mess - when we're the one's who created it in the first place?
Believe it or not, there's a spiritual implication as to what some of us were taught as, as a child. Why? Because if people don't learn one way, they'll learn another.
Lesson one: if people learn to deal with things at conception - and not let it get so "messy", it wouldn't be so big to clear-up when we become adults.
Lesson two: its not always God's responsibility to clear-up our mess (as hard as it may seem to some people). And if I applied that principal into the first part of your message about you clearing up after them. How about teaching on a subject called "responsibility", that 5 minutes before whatever it is ends, they take time-out to put everything away that needs to be put away? After all, it wouldn't be so big-a-mess for you or whoever to clear-up afterwards, would it? So there's my spiritual as well as practical implication for the day. Deal with it at conception before it take a-hold, as it may become bigger than expected if people don't. And believe me when I say this, I know what I'm talking about. Somehow (in the mix of things) I forgot as an adult what I was taught about as a child, and the mess just got bigger and bigger as the years went on. And believe it or not again, I see the same thing happening whenever I come into contact with people wherever I go. Its because they forgot as an adult what they were taught about as a child. So as adults, people shift the responsibility and blame somebody else for their mess. Its commonly know as the blame game - and it takes a truckload of stuff to shift it, some of which comes out in the form of drug addiction, alcohol abuse to name but two. And although "we" may have forgot in the practical sense, the spirit still remembers in the spiritual sense... Needless to say, I could add another thing into the equation when the spirit can't hack it. I could say more, but I'll leave it at that. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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That we are indeed. God bless you, Mike & your family. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Pastor Elam....aw admit it, you're still a kid!! Joey, CLEAN THAT UP!! panda...thanks sister, you pack a lotta niceness in a few words! :) Thanks for lettin' me know you read (and liked), Penny (Joyful Servant) Terry...we all got a lotta messes to be cleaned up...and if we think we don't we're foolin' ourselves!!! Rag, you too say the nicest things. You inspired me to look up a scripture... |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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As the Children of the Lord, we need to realize also that those He loves, He chastizes. When our children make a mess, do we not make them clean it up. It is a way to make them learn responsibility, and ownership of their mistakes. The Father does the same for us, He expects us to clean up when we are finished, and take ownership of our own mistakes. He will always help us, just as I help my son. But to not make the child clean up, will only create a spoiled brat! And I don't think the Lord wants a bunch of spoiled brats to mess with. He will always chastize us, it makes us stronger and better behaved children. 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 12:14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled; 12:16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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18:3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. How 'bout that, Rag! We ARE children, we just need to REALIZE it or we ain't getttin' CLOSE to the kingdom of heaven!!! What's the big deal? In a word... PRIDE. If you think you are an ADULT, and are now capable of behaving your way INTO the kingdom of heaven..... you are deceived!!!! (I know a BUNCH of deceived people, Rag. They are BITTER, RESENTFUL, ANGRY, UNFORGIVING, SARCASTIC, SNIDE, etc.... You see, they're all grown up and proud now. They know better than to forgive and trust. They've outgrown innocence and naivete. So so sad.....) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| Thanks for reading Donna! And for letting me/us know you were here! :) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Hey Gary, good points! Correction is important, for sure! But frankly I would just be happy if we kids would realize we're kids, and NOT the super-mature sophisticated adults we think we are. We need to understand who we are, and LOWER our expectations of each other! Then maybe we would be more forgiving and tolerant of one another. Gary, LOOK at that mess you made! Now clean it up! :) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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NO!!!! I DON'T WANT TO!!!!!! (throwing a tantrum) 
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Great post, Mike. I miss the Childrens' Ministry, so much. VBS was always so fun, and yes, it looks like a bomb went off sometimes, but we go back to the whole purpose of VBS in the first place,... it's so awesome. Love u Friend. It's gonna take a few minutes to get Joeys' picture out of my mind now. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| I went back up to look at Joey's pictures and got to thinking, how many times I got after my son for making such a mess, while the whole time suppressing a grin or laughter. Wonder how many times the Lord chastises me, while holding back a giggle???? |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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LOL Gary! Yeah Preston, VBS is fun. Kinda nerve wracking too, if you're the LEAD "storyteller" and you got the responsibility to teach the bible story to 30 kids at a time. But I get to dress up like Moses!! And we get to build houses and mountains and tombs and burning bushes and paint lamb's blood on doorways and turn off the lights and pretend and ...... so much more! hehe.. (This Sunday we get to cross the Red Sea!!) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| Gary, not only do we understand b/c they are young, but we cut em slack cuz we LOVE em! When I STOP and think, it really astounds me how often we picture God (our Father) as a frumpy grumpy angry menacing disapproving task master. He understands!! Better than we do! (Not letting folks off the hook for sinning or ignoring God or such, just trying to keep God's perspective in sight....it's so outrageous, lol!) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Stevie, it isn't God's responsibility to clear-up the messes, it's his ABILITY. See that kid in the pic above your comment? That's YOU!! LOL (we'll talk about responsibility next time, for now quite acting so grown up...anyone ever tell you you're too big for your britches? LOL) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| Hi Bubbles, hi mstovall(Mary)! Thanks, and welcome to the sandbox! lol |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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yes, far too often, we forget that the Lord has a sense of humor... I don't see Him as a task master, but rather as a loving Father, I love Him, but I also respect Him. Too many people go to the other extreme and see Him as all love, and no discipline. Teaching God is Love, and refusing to see Him as GOD! yehôvâh tsâbâ' kaw-naw' A jealous God |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| Gary, that's what I call a balance of love him/fear him. Kids need to know their parents love them dearly, and could "tan their hides" if they needed it! |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Mike. You Got the point. Many people, start well. They dont remain innocent through out. When they think they are growing up, they become spiritually arrogant. I can understand this better, because, in the Indian culture, I am a little son to my father till he reaches the end of his life. He always treats me as I was a small baby. He doesn't think that I have grown up. I don't know how it works in your country. Therefore, I am able to understand God's heart as he looks at me as His Precious Child. The bottom line is Love. He does this because He loves us and because we love Him. When we love our earthly father, I am sure we will do what is in his mind. When we understand our Heavenly Father, we sure know how to do His will. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| Hey Sharon, thanks! |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Wow Rag, great comment! And I kinda like how your culture facilitates humility in younger adults! In our culture, we know more than our parents by the time we reach 13 yrs old, and by the time we reach 20 we're treating THEM like the children. (actually, that's kinda sad!) |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Hey it's great being The King's Kids isn't it.
And like a loving Father He is willing to forgive us our"messes" and make things "better" when we fall down He picks up us up and sets us back on the pathway
He calms our fears and even wipes away our tears. His loving arms are always about us and He even sends His angels to watch over us. |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Who do I think I am? I am .... shhhhhhhhhhh it's a secret:-) Just kidding! Good blog bro! |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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Interesting take, I like it. Peace |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 25, 2009 |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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We whine
We complain
We want things our way
We get upset when somebody's stuff is better than our own
We don't want to study
We put ourselves in dangerous situations
We think we know it all
We even sometimes have simple, loving eyes.
Yep, there's a reason we're called "Children of God"
Gene |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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| "Quit being so grown up" and "big for my britches?" Explain. But one thing I will say and do agree with is: in the eye's of God - we're all children. |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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Stevie, I hope you saw my tongue planted in my cheek as you read that. :-) This entire blog is about how hard it is for me to see myself as God sees me (kind of like an incorrigible toddler). Seeing ourselves as mature grown-ups only makes it harder for us to forgive others, harder to avoid indignation, harder to resist the temptation to feel bitter and resentful to others. We gotta give each other a break! We're just kids!!!!! |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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| Gene, yes there is! and now that we have been reminded that WE are children of God, maybe we can remember that those ppl who are offending us are no better than children themselves? |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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Thanks Coreena, Theresa, Craftsreen, Glenn, and Cubbie (I know who you are! lol). Liz, it is great being King's kids. We're ALL a bunch of kids in fact. Misbehavin' kids! |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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| Jason, hello!! Nice that you came to PLAY with us, lol. |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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When I was a kid, we were made to clean up our messes.
When I was a teenager, Boy did I make some messes if you know what I mean.Again, mom made me "clean them up"
When I was married and my marriage became a "mess", again she said, Clean it up"
Little did I know many years later she was somewhere in the background, helping me "clean it up".
Kids are kids, but they need to learn responsibility when their young.
At our house, our grandkids mess up, they cleanup, But like my mom, papa and mama are in the background helping.
So................... come on over guys, We'll make a big messsssssssss... Woohoo |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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I love this blog! I never thought of things that way before. Pretty awesome! :D |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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Crystal...some kids never learn, lol. But they are kids after all, you know, selfish little critters, small brains, no common sense, etc.... So forgive em quickly when they "offend" you. They really DON'T know what they are doing! Sherlock...WONDERFUL to know that. Glad to see that my insight has become YOUR insight =) Thanks for reading, tender shoot! |
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| June 26, 2009 |
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| I think it all depends on what their taught. At their house, They can do what they want, at their grandmas house, they can do what they want, at papas house, there are rules. When they grow up, they will learn responsibility, so as the old song goes, "TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL" |
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| June 28, 2009 |
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I don't have kids, but I do realize that kids don't think about others until they get older. We are supposed to see the kingdom of God with the eyes of children, so I say we should never forget that we all have a little bit of child left in us...but we still need to think of others before ourselves. |
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| July 02, 2009 |
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LOL... That was well put even adults can be child like at times... As for getting angry at children you are right they are being just that children. Anger serves no point, when words in a gentle or firm caring tone can make the biggest impact depending on the situation. Maybe not today, but someday they will remember whether consciously or unconsciously, and learn to treat others as they wish to be treated. |
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| July 02, 2009 |
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| July 02, 2009 |
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