My Friend Kevin: Part 2

To read Part 1, go here...

To bring us back to Matthew 18:2-3, I am pretty sure the previous situation explains what that verse really means. I was the one who was confused, sad, and broken-hearted. I was the one putting God into a box of my rationale and understanding. I was the one confused on prayer and the way things work. It was my developed complicated adult mind that missed the Kingdom of God in this situation because I was making it into something it wasn't. My child simply believes God, she thinks he is nice, helpful, loving, and she still thinks he answers prayer.

I learned a lot from my child that day, and after my conversation with her this verse popped into my head. I understood what being childlike was like, and even though it was simple it was also powerful. People always associate children as being weak, and that is an unfair assessment.

I think adults tend to be the ones who are weak. We compensate our weakness with manipulation, power, and false confidence, children are simply strong. They are strong in their minds, hearts, and will...I mean anyone that is a parent knows the strength of a child's will.

There is all kinds of hurting going on right now within the walls of Gods Kingdom. There are real hurtful situations happening to people I know personally. Many of my friends have lost their ministry job; some have been hurt by betrayals; and others are burned out and tired. Maybe, just maybe, we could all use a lesson in childlikeness.

I mean, how awesome would it be if we adults stopped questioning and doubting God and instead put that sort of effort into prayer? Lets never question God's position in the world, lets question our own. Lets not question God's love for us, let's question our own love. Let's not question why God "doesn't work in peoples lives," let's question why we won't help people with their lives. Let's not question whether or not God answers prayer; lets question our own resolve to pray.

It's my opinion that this is the deep stuff of Matthew 18, yet the reason we don't live like this is still reduced down to a shallow canned retort. You know we would say something like this “we are the problem, not God.” I mean how does that help anything? I know God is okay and secure, and I know that I'm messed up. I especially don't need somebody else telling me I am messed up.

Finally lets stop looking at children as annoyances, or being too simple minded to understand real life situations. I have learned a lot about God and relationships simply by watching my children. Life is complicated, messy, beautiful, and awful all at once, but it can be something profound when viewed with eyes of a child.

That, my friends, is how we embrace Gods Kingdom. It's something that can only be understood with a childlike mind, faith, and heart. Stop making it hard, and do a little more feeling and trusting. Shut down the mind, believe, and pray a little more. We need to try and use our hearts a little more and our minds a little less. After all, this is how we are made; we were made to have a relationship with God, yet our minds make it so much more complicated that what it ever should have become.

The fact that my friend Kevin had died is difficult and hard to understand. The cool thing is that praying for his family's comfort has brought me comfort. Like so many other things it's in the serving and the giving that we ourselves find answers and peace. I want to challenge everyone to take time to connect with God in prayer and worship. Stop making it difficult and just do it.

Let me close by quoting the great philosopher Yoda. When it comes to embracing Gods Kingdom and thinking like a child, “Do or do not. There is no try.”