When asked to write a guest blog on the topic of being like a child, I have to say I got excited. Like really excited…like a child excited, which, if you know me, is kind of the norm. I love children and have long since identified with them in many ways. Height, humor, childlike voice, spontaneity, adoration of Narnia and hobbits, and even the size of my hands have been identified as “child” sized. Also having spent so many years with children in the classroom, I can safely say being with the kids is my favorite place to be, but bear with me for a second. A moment if you will… children have the advantage over us adults in so many ways, and it makes me so excited (as I said before) that Jesus loves the children. I mean REALLY loves the children. Which means the Father loves the children, and the Father has told us, his children, that in order to enter the kingdom of Heaven, we must change and be like children (Matthew 18:3). I’m super excited about entering (coming into) that space and place of heaven and his kingdom, so a command to change and be like a child? Check. What comes next?
Let’s lean in and “listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will be changed- in a moment (a flash-NIV), in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet.” In the 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 passage, the apostle Paul is talking about the resurrection body, and uses the term “twinkling of an eye” or at least it was translated to mean that. What I want to focus on is the moment in which something happens. The definition of moment is “a comparatively brief period of time”. I love definitions and could spend all day unpacking all of the meanings of the word “moment” but I will stay on the one that means-instant. A fraction of a second. An amount of time that is considered minute. That's “Mine-oot” phonetically speaking. Soooo small. It means that Jesus says we will be changed that quickly, instantly.
Do you think you could see that quickly? Do you believe that you could see when that moment or instant happened and everything changed? A large part of my faith journey has been to try to isolate that moment in the bible. I love trying to figure out the instant things changed for the disciples when they were with Jesus. Let’s look at a couple stories and give it a try.
John 6:5-13
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. (what a funny guy, giving tests to his disciples!) 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (yes, the children have what we need! haha) 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
Well, did you see it? Could you tell the moment things changed?? The actual instant the 2 fish became 5 thousand fish? The moment or flash of time that made 5 barley loaves, hundreds of baskets full of barley loaves?? Wow, ok me neither. Ok kids, let’s try another one…
John 2:5-9
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew.
Well?? How about now?? Water/Wine/Water/Wine? Slight of the hand? I don't think so. I’m not trying to insinuate that Jesus is using some type of cheap magic trick. What I would like to propose is that he is the truth and the truth is that we will be changed in an instant, and that the twinkling of an eye could be his eye when he looks at us with love. That love changes everything, even us whether or not we can spot it, watch it, feel it, or even understand it. I used to tell my foster son that he is the twinkle in God’s eye and mine too. Can we allow that twinkle or flash of light invade our worlds, knowing he loves us? Can we be like a child and in an instant allow Jesus to change things in our worlds today, tomorrow, soon? Will we allow the Kingdom of Heaven to be with us now? Could we be excited for the things we cannot comprehend, but be excited for the one who DID change everything in an instant?
About the Author
Ruth is a teacher who loves her family, friends, bending any ear about Jesus and spending time flying by the seat of her pants to far off places, and hopefully more soon!