Useful Tools
Any of us with children know the experience of our little ones wanting to "help" when we we're in the middle of some grown-up activity or project. Picture yourself in the middle of some home repair when your 5 year old comes out of the house with their toy tools and tool belt, saying, "I want to help you, dad." Our initial reaction may be to shoo them asside and tell them that we will play with their toys later, knowing that they would be more in the way than anything.
That's when we realize that in their mind, their tools (although made of plastic) were real tools, and that their abilities (as limited as they are) are useful for the job. You can see in their little eyes a true desire to help, a true desire to make their mom or dad proud.
We know that if we allow them to "help" it will likely make the job less efficeint and more cumbersome. But in that moment we realize that the effeciency of the job is so much less important than the joy (and experience!) our child would get from helping us.
As we consider such a scenario, we cannot help but see the Word of God in plain sight. God desires for us to follow Him and serve Him. He desires us to join him in the work of the ministry and in reaching the lost with the Gospel. But we're like clumsy, ill-equipped children in His service.
Truly, God does not "need" our help. He can accomplish much with or without us. Yet, over time, he will provide us increasingly more sophisticated tools as he hones our gifts and abilities, and we will become increasingly more useful co-laborers in the work of His ministry.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV).
"Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20-21, ESV).
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10, ESV).
Putting the Basket in the Water: Trusting God in the Next Phase of Your Child’s Life
In the book of Exodus we are told that Pharoah sought to bring an end to the lineage of the Hebrews in his land by killing all the male Hebrew children. Then came the birth of Moses:
Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him (Exodus 2:1-4, NIV).
Of course, when his mother placed Moses in the river, she had no idea what the outcome would be. But in faith, she trusted him into the hands of a loving God.
Ashlei Woods, blog Editor for Christian Bridge, observes:
“There comes a time - many times, actually - in the lives of our children where we have to put the basket in the water. We have to let go and trust the plan of the Father. The world is a scary place - a place where we fear our children could drown. But we must remember that we have to let go so that God can draw them from the waters for His great purpose. He has called us to be their parents, but they were His first."
Woods continues:
"My friend, whatever water you may be getting ready to put your basket into - remember that you have to put them in the water for God to draw them out and place them into His perfect plan. Though you might not be physically present with your child as much during the next phase of life, you can always petition the heart of the Father on their behalf.”
Surviving The Jungle
A Cessna 206 was carrying seven people between district airports in Columbia, South America when it crashed in the early morning hours of May 1st, 2023. On board were the pilot, co-pilot, and a mother with her four children. Tragically, the adults died after the impact. However, the four children survived this crash, though they were not found until 40 days later!
Patrick Smith of ABC news reports:
Lost and by themselves, four children managed to survive 40 days in the wilderness of the Amazon jungle before they were rescued. The four children — Lesly, 13; Soleiny, 9; Tien Noriel, 4; and Cristin, 1 — were found thin but very much alive Friday after a rescue operation that combed through more than 1,600 miles of dense forest."
How did they do it?
Their grandmother, who raised them, taught them how to fish, hunt, and find safe food in the wild. They knew which fruits and seeds were safe to eat in the rainforests and which were poisonous. Thanks to two rescue dogs, Tellius and Wilson, leading 150 soldiers, the children were found, dehydrated, full of mosquito bites, but, as ABC News reports, "very much alive!"
How often we speak figuratively, saying, “It’s a jungle out there!” Our world, like the Colombian Jungle, is a dangerous place.
This is not just true for adults, but it is especially challenging for society’s youngest members. Think of the obstacles and challenges faced by our youth right now, the messages and indoctrination so contrary to Scripture, the diversions and distractions pulling them away from faith. How can they survive this metaphorical jungle?
Their path to survival is the same as it was for those fortunate little ones in Columbia. First, survival skills must be taught in the home. This implies much time, effort, patience, and hands-on training. Second, those skills must be practiced. Third, survival must continue until rescue and relief comes.
Do we have homes that equip our children to make it through the difficult spiritual terrain? This equipping centers around filling their hearts with God’s thoughts (Deut. 6:4-6). It centers around practical outlets to put that information into motion (Phil. 4:9). By the time they are out on their own, they should have the training they need to make it on their own (Prov. 22:6). We should teach them to “hold on” until rescue and relief comes (2 Thess. 1:6-7).
It’s hard to imagine something worse than a plane crash befalling our children or grandchildren, but there is! There’s a shipwreck of faith (1 Tim. 1:19), upset of faith (2 Tim. 2:18), going astray of faith (1 Tim. 6:21). These are all synonymous for failure to survive that spiritual jungle!
Let’s put in the necessary time to train, equip, and prepare our families to make it through this world spiritually alive!