One of the strangest moments in life is the day that you are talking (discussing, correcting, teaching, arguing what ever you want to call it) to your own children and suddenly you hear your mother’s voice coming out of your mouth. Suddenly, you start saying things that you swore you would never say to YOUR children. It is in those moments that we suddenly realize we have become our parents. Even if we struggle not to be, there will be traits that have been indelibly etched into our own persona. It is a truth that is inescapable. Your heritage, your lineage will have a real and distinct reflection on who you are and what you become. There will always be a “birthmark” of sorts that link us back to the ones to whom we belong.
And St. John is describing this same sort of connection – but on much grand and significant scale. The apostle tells us that we all are God’s children, even if we’re parents in this life. On this special day, Mother’s Day, we will look at this blessed truth: WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN. As we discuss God’s divinely paternal ways we will see that we, his children are 1) Childish, but Forgiven, and that we are called to be 2) Childlike, with Vision.
1) Childish, But Forgiven
Someone once composed the following list of "Toddler’s Rules of Ownership". These ten statements describe the very childish, even selfish nature of little children: 1. If I like it, it’s mine. 2. If it’s in my hand, it’s mine. 3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine. 4. If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine. 5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way. 6. If I’m doing or building something, all the pieces are mine. 7. If it looks just like mine, it’s mine. 8. If I think it’s mine, it’s mine. 9. If it’s yours and I steal it, it’s mine. 10. If you’re having more fun than me, it’s mine.
I may be bold in saying this, but toddlers aren’t the only ones who act in childish ways. Those very same rules could apply to all of us adults and children alike. A child’s world centers around himself for at least the first couple of years. Someone has said that every child is a potential dictator. And it becomes very evident at an early age. You bring a child home from the hospital, you lay him down in his crib, and then you lay down in bed and go to sleep. Now, in a couple of hours, that child will wake up with an urge to eat. And you would think that that child would reason to himself, "It’s 2:00 in the morning. My parents are tired. I really hate to cry and wake them up; they need some rest. I think I’ll just wait for a few more hours before I say anything."
But you know as well as I do that it doesn’t work that way. Instead, the reasoning process goes something like this: "I’m hungry, and you will feed me right now. I don’t care what you’re doing. I don’t care what else needs to be done. I’m going to be fed, and I’ll keep screaming until that happens." That’s selfish. A baby’s world revolves around the concept, "What I want, I get." Now, we may be tempted to think, “Well, that’s how little babies are. It’s not their fault!” Yes. It’s true to a point. Screaming may be only way a baby can get what he wants. It takes time for a child to grow and mature. Yet, how many of us, who are supposed to be grown up and mature, act just like little babies? We are too often childish. We expect to always get what we want, and if we don’t, we throw a huge temper tantrum – hollering and screaming – until people give in. We gossip and slander one another. We pick up the telephone and call people – ranting and raving to one person after the other. And what happens? We actually feel childish because of our behavior. And guilt overwhelms us. We feel foolish. We feel that we’ve ruined our friendships with one another. And then we get stubborn. Almost every child goes through periods of stubbornness and outright rebellion -- usually at predictable times. Every mom has horror stories about the "terrible twos". There comes a time when a child learns how to use the word "no" and that becomes his favorite word. "Eat your vegetables." "No!" "Go to bed." "No!" "Pick up your toys." No!” The story is told of a man who was pushing a shopping cart through a store. And in the cart was a screaming, bouncing baby boy. As the man walked up and down the aisles, he kept saying over and over, "Don’t yell, Kevin. Calm down, Kevin. Don’t get excited, Kevin." A woman standing next to him noticed what was going on and said, "You certainly are to be commended for trying to soothe your son Kevin." The man looked at her and said, "Lady, I’m Kevin!" Stubbornness is a difficult trait to deal with in a child. It’s even more difficult to deal with when it’s a child of God that has the stubborn heart and is rebelling against his heavenly Father. That attitude that says, "I know what God’s Word says, but no, I’m not going to listen to it.” These are problems that God dealt with throughout history. God said to Isaiah, "this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord." (Isaiah 30:9). To be honest, we all have to admit, moms included, that we, too, are stubborn, selfish, and ignorant children. Too often, we resemble our earthly parents, and not our heavenly Father. It is a great wonder to read St. John’s words: “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” As Christians, we need to meekly take God’s Word to heart. John is flabbergasted that God would consider him a child. John was a 90 year-old man when he wrote this letter, and yet, he stood in complete amazement over the fact that God considered him a child. John was one of the 12 disciples. His brother was James. These were the two Jesus nicknamed, “the sons of thunder.” They were zealous, arrogant, and self-righteous. They often said foolish and arrogant things. They did foolish and stubborn things. And yet, this one disciple, John, is the “one Jesus loved.” Moms and dads, parents and children, husbands and wives, are you amazed that God, your heavenly Father, loves you? He does. In fact, he’s lavished it on you. He’s poured it on you. He has shown the greatest expression of love imaginable. He gave himself for us. He suffered for our childish ways. He endured our selfishness, our ignorance, and stubbornness. Jesus bore all our sins for us. He lived as the perfectly obedient child of God. Never once was he stubborn, selfish, or defiant. God’s own beloved Son, Jesus Christ, was sent to turn our hearts back towards God, the Father. And Jesus has. He now molds us to be more like God’s children.
2) Childlike, with Vision
Some lucky mom may have gotten a diamond necklace or pendant as a Mother’s Day gift. That is an expression of love. What makes a diamond so valuable is the fact that it is cut and polished. A diamond cutter takes the obscure and makes it obvious; he displays it, and brings it out into the open. We’re similar. We are like uncut diamonds. We may look like any other rock or mineral. There is nothing attractive, no value attached to us, until someone cuts the diamond and brings out the extraordinary beauty and value there is. Jesus is the diamond cutter of the heart. Jesus fashions us to be like him. He smoothes away all the rough edges of sin. He polishes us with his love and mercy, so that we shine like the stars. We have true beauty and value in our heavenly Father’s eyes. We understand this through faith. We are given a childlike vision of faith and trust. St. John explains this: “The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.” It’s hard to believe that we are royal children, diamonds in the rough. It’s hard to believe the infinite value that God has given us, because the world never reinforces it. The world didn’t know Christ, and it’s not going to know us. They rejected him, treated him as a criminal, spat upon him, killed him. Why should they treat us any differently? Sometimes we don’t see ourselves as we are. The evidence of our lives, the person who gazes back at us from the mirror, is not always a particularly positive reflection. We don’t see ourselves, as we will be, because Jesus hasn’t appeared yet. But when he comes back we will discover ourselves in the same way we discover our own parent’s persona within us. We do resemble that old, dirty lump of coal. We still fall into sins. We fight with our brothers and sisters in Jesus. We still gossip and start rumors. We still hold grudges and act resentful towards one another. We still act childish, but there is a great treasure inside. And when Jesus comes, you will see him and be like him. You will continue to have your personality, your background, your sense of humor, and everything that makes you unique, wonderful, and interesting -- all the creativity God put into making you. And at the same time you’re going to be like Christ. You will have the character and life of Jesus with your personality in the midst of it. That’s what the cut diamond is going to look like. It looks just like God’s own child, Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we find the strength to shed off our sinful, childish ways and strive towards a childlike vision of heaven. Jesus is the only source of our faith and trust because he was completely faithful and trustworthy. He wholly trusted his heavenly Father in everything. We have been led to faith in Jesus, our Savior, and that means we can trust him that we will shine like him in our lives and we have the sure hope we will shine on into heaven. We actually reflect God’s love towards one another. When we’re tempted to hold grudges, remember Christ who was wholly forgiving. When we’re tempted to get revenge, remember Christ who suffered quietly. When we’re tempted to cuss and curse one another, remember Jesus who never spoke a hurtful word. He is our good Brother, our Savior. Because of him we have hope. We have the hope of a new life right now – one of self-control, patience, gentleness, and love – and we have the new hope of life eternal with Jesus where we will be just like him in every way. The faith and hope we have in Jesus leads us to be more childlike in faith and hope.
God is granting us such a childlike faith. Little children are dependent. Mothers know all about this truth. A child depends on mom for life itself. And a loving mother will gladly lavish such love on her child. The baby gradually learns to take comfort in holding the hand of his or her parents. Children are content to be utterly dependent on those who love and care for them. That’s their vision, simple and trusting. We have a God who is faithful and provides every good gift. And so our trust rests in God who has promised to take care of us now and forever. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). "For he himself has said, ’I will never leave you nor forsake you’" (Hebrews 13:5).
We are forgiven children of God. This truth is inescapable. Your heritage, your lineage has a real and distinct reflection on who you are and what you become. So, you might as well admit it. You are God’s child. There will always be a “birthmark” that links us back to the One to whom we belong. That birthmark is the love of Christ shown to us all. Amen.
