KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

Art Linkletter used to do a segment called, “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” (And indeed, they do).

Speaking of “the darndest things,” I love the Victorian novel and movie renditions of “Jane Eyre.” As the story gets underway Mr. Brockelhurst, an outwardly religious, but cruel school master, challenges Jane with,

“What is Hell?”

To which the little waft responds,

“A pit full of flaming fire.”

At which time Mr. Brockelhurst follows up with,

“And what must you do to avoid it?”

Jane studies the question for a moment, and exclaims,

“I must keep in good health… and not die!”

Yes, kids say the darndest things. My children were no exception.

Once, when my family and I were visiting my parent’s house, my three year old daughter made a decision to put aside her coloring book, in favor of my mother’s living room wall. Kimberly was well on her way to leaving her mark there, when my mom happened to observe her colorful meanderings, and scolded her.

“Kimberly, you’re making a mess of my walls! What do you think you’re doing?”

To which she responded,

“Gwanma, I just a little girl!”

Pt. 2

Yes, kids say the darndest things.

Today as I relaxed in my easy chair, I looked over at my 13 year old grandson, and said,

“Noah, you like to play with I-pads and computers and smart phones, don’t ya? You definitely like to entertain yourself. But, ya know, it’s also important to spend time with God.”

To which he responded,

“Well, I love the Lord, but I never see Him!”

(As if, he used to hang out with God, but in recent years the Almighty had been away on a long trip, or He’d decided to inhabit another planet for the extended future).

And to be fair, I suppose that is exactly what happened to Him. For if we are to believe scripture, God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, The Lord of Hosts, the Great ‘I AM’ assumed the form of a man, and dwelt among us.

“Therefore, the Lord, Himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name,

Emmanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

But having offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin, death could not hold Him. He arose from the grave, and ascended into heaven; to sit at the right hand of God, the Father.

“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You will roll them up like a robe;

like a garment they will be changed.

But you remain the same,

and your years will never end.”

To which of the angels did God ever say,

“Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies

a footstool for your feet” (Hebrews 1:10-13)

Pt. 3

“I love the Lord, but I never see Him.”

My grandson’s words bring to mind a fitting quotation from the movie, “Oh God.”

In the movie, God (George Burns) appears in a courtroom to testify in favor of Jerry (John Denver), who, ‘til then, was the only person who had been able to see Him.

“I know how hard it is in these times to have faith. But maybe if you could have the faith to start with, maybe the times would change. You could change them. Think about it. Try. And try not to hurt each other. There's been enough of that. It really gets in the way. I'm a God of very few words and Jerry (the John Denver character) has already given you mine. However hopeless, helpless, mixed up and scary it all gets, it can work. If you find it hard to believe in me, maybe it would help you to know that I believe in you.”

There was a time when people such as Simon Peter and John and Andrew might have said,

“I love the Lord, and I saw Him with my eyes, and touched Him with my hands; the very Word of Life.”

(and)

“I heard Him say and do things no man ever did before.”

(and)

“After His death, He reappeared and we watched Him as He disappeared in the clouds.”

(and)

“He promised that He would send the promise of the Father, the blessed Holy Spirit, to abide with us in His place.”

(and)

“As He went, so shall He come again one day.”

Pt. 4

As a Christian mentor, I am convinced that Jesus is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life, and that He was and continues to be very man and very God. And though I have rarely, if at all heard the following implication from a pulpit, I am convinced that faith is not enough, since anyone of us can have faith in something that has no power, whatever, to save him or her from anything.

He cut down cedars,

or perhaps took a cypress or oak.

He let it grow among the trees of the forest,

or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

It is used as fuel for burning;

some of it he takes and warms himself,

he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

But he also fashions a god and worships it;

he makes an idol and bows down to it.

Half of the wood he burns in the fire;

over it he prepares his meal,

he roasts his meat and eats his fill.

He also warms himself and says,

“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”

From the rest he makes a god, his idol;

he bows down to it and worships.

He prays to it and says,

“Save me! You are my god!”

(Isaiah 44:14-17)

But rather, we have been given the privilege to extend our faith towards Someone who offers us Proof of Whom He claims to be. While this is the wrong forum for any extensive treatise on the subject, I am convinced such evidentiary examples include:

1. The Word of God

2. The fulfillment of Prophecy

3. The presence of and work of the Holy Spirit among His people

4. The personal testimony of believers

5. Miracles and Healings

Pt. 5

“I love the Lord, but I never see Him.”

If we were to examine just one facet of the preceding evidence, for my purposes here I would remind you of the personal testimony of not only the twelve disciples, but those who have followed after them, and continue even to this day.

As believers, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Men and women who were SO convinced that what they knew and saw here was not all there is that they willingly, and not only willingly, but gladly, laid down their lives on behalf of the One Whom they could not see with their physical eyes, but Who has made an irrevocable and everlasting difference in their lives.

Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two. They were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated and the world was not worthy of them. (Hebrews 11:36-38)

And I reflect, once again, on my grandson’s recent statement, and the question which arises out of it.

“Can we extend our faith towards a God Whom we cannot see?”

The answer is an absolute and irrevocable, “Yes!”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 40. Copyright pending