Wouldn’t you agree that when you teach your children, you learn every bit as much yourself? Matthew 7:11 describes an analogy between our frail human parenting and the love and leading of God our Father, assuming that we could learn about God’s relationship with us as we teach our own children.
My six-year-old son loves his schoolwork but routinely freezes up, and things start to unravel when he perceives the assigned problem is too new and too hard. At those times I stop him, look him in the eye and tell him, “I will not give you something impossible to do, and now I’m asking you to be brave, and we can work this out.” He wipes his tears, puts on a brave face, and we sit together and work through it step-by-step.
What I hadn’t realized until recently is how much I am saying when I tell him “be brave, we can work this out” and, riffing off the Matthew 7 analogy, “How much more” would God our Father communicate this kind of instruction and love to us if we as frail humans would do that for our children?
It was a rough morning. One of those magical combos of dipping hormones, old griefs, new annoyances, and not quite enough sleep. I found myself dealing with the “problem” of just getting through the day. And I was freezing up and things were unraveling. Sound familiar? I started to tell myself “be brave . . .”; and then it clicked. What do I ask my son to do, what do I promise him when I say “Be brave, we can work through this,” and does God my Father do this even more to me when I’m struggling with a problem I can’t handle?
First and fundamentally I ask my son to trust me. And if I as fallen a human can be in some small way trustworthy to my son, how much more our Father who is in heaven? I ask my son to trust me that I know the point of giving him that particular problem, that I love him and am helping him grow. How much more does God our Father do this for us?
Next, I promise my son that I’m with him to help him. God promises his children that He will not leave us, that he will help us. The Sons of Korah in Psalm 46 talk about this promise in the face of overwhelming and fearful trials,
“God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah” (Psalm 46:1-3)
I also ask my son to work hard at something he may never have tackled before. God certainly gives us as His children problems to tackle that are unfamiliar and require discipline and patience. In Hebrews 11 and 12, Paul urges us on toward endurance like that of the saints of old who had faith even though they could not see what they hoped for, “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2)
And last I promise my son that with my help he will make it through. Doesn’t God our Father promise us this? Paul’s confidence for the Philippian Christians in Philippians 1 is something we can rely on as well: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
“How much more . . . your Father who is in heaven . . .”: this promise comforted and challenged me. If I ask this trust and perseverance of my son daily because I love him, I know my Father asks it of me even more so. If I promise my son I will help him and be with him because I love him, I know God promises that much more.
The Lord has spoken living words,
He gave us ears, and thus we heard.
We will not give our sons a stone,
We will not live by bread alone.
– Word and Water, Bread and Wine
