“Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4
The other day I happened to be standing by as a young father was washing his car. Suddenly, he was interrupted by the enthusiastic call of his young son returning home: “Daddy, Daddy!”
The father immediately asked the preschooler if he would like to help wash the cars with him. What happened next was a powerful parable for me.
- The son decided he knew how best to wash the car, and would do things like use the tire brush to clean the panel, even after his father corrected him.
- After he cleaned one little patch, he then moved to a completely different part of the car, leaving large gaps in his cleaning job.
- The son freaked out when he couldn’t turn off the hose and was getting a little wet.
- He repeatedly interrupted his father, and drastically slowed down the process.
Despite the inefficiency of the process, it was beautiful: the father was clearly enjoying his time with his son, and the son with his father.
How many of us act like that little boy! We become so fixated on acting like God desperately needs our help, when the reality is so drastically the opposite.
Father, please forgive me for the ways that I have taken over and acted like You needed me. Please help me to see how I can declare that You are God, and help me to see that I am your instrument to bring Your hope to the world.
Take Action
Ask yourself: Am I engaged in this activity out of obedience to my Father, or out of desperation to feel important? Am I listening to what God has asked of me, or am I doing things my own way? Ask God to humble your heart, and be tuned into how you fit into His plan, rather than how He fits into yours.