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We are subjected to constant advice.  Always-on noise.

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Be strong, don’t let the bastards grind you down, if you fall over get straight back up again, when the going gets tough the tough get going, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, I will survive, don’t worry be happy, you can do this – you are an expert in getting through tough days …

I am.

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Except … I am (in a pool of sharks all looking for a piece of me) … I am (not going to survive by being weak) … I am (and no other “I am” has my back like I have my back – so trust no one, rely on no one, and don’t let anyone in).  Being strong is exhausting!  All those balls to juggle, all those plates to keep spinning, all that multi-tasking, never letting you guard down, always looking for the next intruder, the next attack, the next and the next …

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At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 18:1

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Jewish audience. Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time … The Temple Tax … The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven … Causing to Stumble … The Parable of the Wandering Sheep … Dealing With Sin in the Church …

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I never saw this before. The answer should have been: “God, you numbskulls – who else – God is ALWAYS the greatest!”  But it wasn’t.

God wasn’t even mentioned.

“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” vv 2-5

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Religious culture puts God first in All Things and us last …

Well maybe not “all things” and maybe not “us last” … God is first, Jesus is second, the Holy Spirit is third, the angels are fourth, the saints are fifth, the “qualified in God” then have their own pecking order … and then somewhere at the bottom the “immature Christian” … me and you yet to learn how things work around here.

God wasn’t even mentioned.

None of that “stuff” was mentioned: “ … this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  If being an immature Christian is that obvious then maybe THAT is what we should ALL be focusing on.

God wasn’t even mentioned!  

Did anyone else miss that?  Because one thing children do so well … ?

They love.  They love by instinct.  Children love freely and fully.

Before they are subjected to the noise we mature adults impose.

But shouldn’t that “noise” be about refining love, learning love, loving better … instead of: “All those balls to juggle, all those plates to keep spinning, all that multi-tasking, never letting you guard down, always looking for the next intruder, the next attack, the next and the next …”?

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As I have discarded so much cultural and religious teaching I keep finding more and more goodness … more and more kindness … and more and more fear …

The “fear” of being good … of being kind … the “fear” of not fitting in .. the “fear” of hierarchy .. the fear of stuff to keep me in line … the focus on sin … the searching not for “God” but for “becoming mature enough for God” … AKA “high enough up the pecking order” … AKA “doing enough for God” …  AKA “the small gate” is so hard to find … AKA “the burden” must be heavy … AKA why “only the strong survive” (long enough in their “faith” to even get to heaven) …

“Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

I thought this God stuff was meant to be different?

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Without all the baggage of the always-on-noise of “religious cultural teaching” I am finding it is – this “God stuff” is soooooooooooo different.

God wasn’t even mentioned.

Wow!

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