STORIES

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Him, since Jesus was coming that way.  Luke 19:4 NIV

Last week I was out on a walk with my precious grandson and we walked past a humongous sycamore tree and it got me to thinking of Zacchaeus – the man climbing the tree in our verse above.

And then I really got to thinking about Bible stories, and in particular – ones we love to tell to little children and they love to hear.  Have you ever pondered why we have stories that especially appeal to little children?

Think:

David and Goliath

Ruth

Esther

Little boy who shared his lunch

Jesus as our Good Shepherd

The parable of the lost coin

Elijah and the chariot

Jonah and the great fish

Lazarus being raised from the dead

These are stories which we tell repeatedly to our children who just love to hear them.  Who doesn’t embrace young shepherd boy David with his one little stone, taking out a giant?

Or act out the woman sweeping around her house trying to find the lost coin; then rejoicing with her when she finds it?

Or, pretending to be Zacchaeus climbing a tree, looking for Jesus?

These stories are just made for children – and they are true.  Not made up, but real.

And He (Jesus) said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 18:2  NIV

Jesus wants us to have innocent, child-like faith.  And a relationship with Him where we believe, trust and simply engage in a natural give-and-take relationship with our Good Shepherd.

Or, how about when we read about Jesus telling His disciples to fish and the one they catch would have coins to pay the tax???  Seriously? How cool is that?  To date, I have not had coins in the belly of the fish I’ve caught – power bait yes, but money, no.

So, did God intentionally have these events happen so we would have them in Scripture to read to our children?  Or did He put them there for us?

I believe it’s both.  Jesus stated we are to have that child-like faith and these stories build that faith.  They are so simple, yet complex.  They help us to believe anything can happen, lives can be changed, found, brought forth from the dead; and that we can slay a giant with one small stone.

When life is hard, filled with cares, worries and relationship troubles, it helps to have a comforting blanket to hold onto.  Something we can wrap ourselves in and allow to wash over us.

When I was very sick with Covid (twice), I loved having the Word of God being read to me.  I used Blue Letter Bible or Bible Gateway and pressed play – my first book was Matthew.  It was a balm for my very sick body and soothing for my heart to hear about my Master’s comings and goings.  Yes, I had read this gospel before repeatedly, but having it read out loud to me – the Word just washed over me and brought me peace.

May we allow ourselves to become like children, not letting the cares of life shrink our faith, but rather giving ourselves fully in the moment to Jesus with open and honest faith.

PRAYER

Father, my heavenly Father. I love You and want to have a simple yet sincere faith and walk with You. Ever growing and becoming more like Your Son - pleasing You in all things. Including a child-like faith complete with belief, awe, wonder, trust and obedience. Thank You for these powerful stories that touch the heart of a child as well as that of an adult.