Yesterday I had the privilege of spending an hour with our 3-4 age preschool room kids. We started upstairs with song time followed by talking out the day - what the weather was like, what day of the week it was, and what kind of clothing is suitable for the weather. After sitting still for so long, it was time to go out to the playground.
Once we navigated the halls, stairwell and half a dozen doors in (almost) quiet single-file line, we emerged to the sun drenched playground. I felt like Willy Wonka finally opening the door to the Chocolate Room, watching his guests scatter to discover all the treasures to be found within. And scatter they did - some to the swings, some to the climbing wall, others to the slide.
As I kept an eye on the group, one by one they shouted, "Captain Tom, watch this!" As soon as they had my attention, they climbed up, jumped down, or swung from one ledge to the other.
And so I responded with "Whoa!" or "Wow!" or "No Way!" And they seemed satisfied. But they wanted that kind of response again and again.
It made me remember with fondness when my own kids were that age, and they longed for their Dad to be there, to watch them, to respond with encouragement.
I wonder if we ever long for someone to watch us in what we do. Did someone notice that I created that report for my boss with excellence? Did someone see when I let the person with only two items in front of me in the grocery checkout line? Did someone realize that I bit my tongue when I felt the urge to be critical?
And what kind of response would we expect if someone did see us?
The prophet Isaiah announces:
All of us have become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; (Isaiah 64:6)
Too often we get caught in the performance trap with God. Only it isn't his trap, it's ours. We think that if we just do something amazing, something unexpected, something "Godly," he will sit up from his throne in heaven, notice and respond with delight. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant," we hope to hear.
Rest assured, he does see what we do, but that isn't the basis of our relationship or his favor. If it was, we'd all be in a heap of trouble.
Isaiah explains a few verses later,
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)
God is our father. While he is our master and we his servants, our relationship with God is more like a father-child relationship.
In other words, he loves us no matter what. And he wants to be the one who does the amazing work in our lives. Of course, we serve him. But he wants us to stand back sometimes and let him do what he wants in our lives.
He wants to shape us - transform us - into an extraordinary creation. He wants to lead us, help us, change us, to match his exciting plan for our lives. Not just where we go and what we do, but he wants to transform the essence of who we are.
Maybe on the playground of life, rather than clamoring for God's attention, maybe we need to sit down, quiet ourselves and watch what amazing things God is already doing in your life.
And maybe you'll say something like "Whoa!" or "Wow!" or "No way!" And you'll mean it, because God's work in your life is amazing.
