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Often our kids have so much to teach us, as their innocence and simplicity brings wisdom we can only hope to fathom.
My four young children help me understand my own faith, as when, yesterday, I noticed my first-grade daughter reading the very end of our kids’ picture Bible, the part about the Book of Revelation.
Given that this book of the Bible is mind-boggling even for adults, I paused to check in with her.
“Hey, that’s not too scary for you, is it?” I asked.
We had come across some violent content in this illustrated Bible before, and sure enough, the page was open to some wild-looking figure from the Apocalypse.
“No, this doesn’t scare me,” she quickly assured me.
I was a little surprised. This is the same kiddo who closes her eyes and covers her ears when her older brother talks about the gory World War battles that are his current intellectual fascination.
“Really? Why not?” I asked.
“Because I know how the story ends, Mom,” she said. “I know Jesus comes back and the good guys win.”
This particular kid amazes me with her thoughtful insights for such a little girl, and sure enough, after our conversation, I kept thinking about it.
Her simple observation seemed to apply to so many situations in my own life.
Often I feel worried, or scared, or upset, or angry, as I navigate challenges I didn’t foresee and hardships I feel ill equipped to face. But if I stop and take a step back to see the big picture, I know God is with me through it all, and I know he has promised us that “nothing is impossible” with Him (Luke 1:37).
So why am I afraid and anxious? I know this story was written by a good, good Father. Right now the monsters might look fierce and the evil might seem overwhelming, but the story isn’t over yet. And its author loves us with a fierceness and eternity we can’t even begin to imagine.
“He loves me”
A little later the same day, we were reading a picture book about the Christmas story, and we noticed that angels in the Bible always start their appearances by saying, “Do not be afraid.”
“Would you be afraid if you saw an angel?” I said, half-laughing at the imaginative idea.
“No, I wouldn’t,” my daughter said confidently. “Because I know Jesus loves me.”
The faith of these little ones is incredible! Her total trust in God’s love for her is something I can only hope to imitate.
The next time I feel fear or anxiety setting in, I want to hold on to what my little girl told me. Our story begins and ends with a love so great it brought us into being and cradles us every moment of our lives.
We know Jesus loves us; we know how the story ends. What do we have to fear?
