Childish Things
Thursday 29th May
We just celebrated our granddaughter’s second birthday, and three more of our grandchildren, ages 3, almost 2 and not quite one, all her cousins, were there for the gala celebration.
Watching the 2 year old open her presents while being watched by her 3 year old and almost 2 year old cousins, was an interesting lesson in human nature. At this tender age one has not yet learned to share and each could only view the event from her own viewpoint. The birthday girl had more presents than she knew what to do with while the other two looked on with longing eyes, desiring each gift for themselves as they came out of the box. Soon all three were gathered together on the floor, each appropriating a gift to hold and each looking to see what the other had that they could grab. A good time was had by all in spite of a few tears shed here and there.
As adults watching the festivities we could understand the wisdom of Paul when he said, ”When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” These little girls could hardly have done any better than they did and of course, a doting grandfather would think this way, but we need to realize that we as adults, need to learn from their cute antics and for ourselves, put away childish things.
Sometimes we find that adults are really just bigger children and we haven’t yet fully accomplished the goal of putting away childish things. It is still natural for us to think, ”What am I going to get?” From God’s viewpoint, we must all appear as little children squabbling over a few toys, and we need to learn patience from His example for He really is very patient with us. Jesus tells us that we should ”do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again;... and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” It isn’t natural for us to lend to people who do not pay it back, to be kind to people who will not say ”thank you” or be merciful to people who do not show us mercy. As children, we may feel justified in treating others as they treat us, but as adults in Christ, we need to treat others not as they treat us but as we wish that they would treat us. This is really putting away ”childish things.”
This is something we must learn because it is just the opposite of what we want to do. The little children playing only do what their little minds tell them they want to do and they feel unhappy when they do not get ”their way.” ”Our way” is never the right way. As we sing in the hymn, ”Thy way, not mine, O Lord, however dark it be! Lead me by Thine own hand, Choose out the path for me.” These are not just words to sing, this is a life to be lived, and it means putting away childish things and becoming mature in Christ.
This means putting God first in our lives and saying with Jesus, ”not my will, but thine be done.” This is true maturity, this is something every child of God must learn and then do. A little child just naturally thinks of himself. ”Am I warm, dry, full, comfortable?” It does not occur to the very young to inquire if you are. To put away childish things then means to think of the needs of others, to serve others instead of one’s self. As Paul put it, ”We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself.” Yes, we remember even at the young age of twelve, Jesus was about his Father’s business.
It’s time for each of us to be about our Father’s business by forgetting self. ”Do good... and ye shall be the children of the Highest.”