Acts of Obedience

Many people have seen the image of Jesus kneeling before a child who is holding a teddy bear. Jesus has one hand before him, asking the child to give him their teddy bear. Unbeknownst to the child Jesus is holding a larger teddy bear behind his back. The child is fearfully contemplating giving what they think is their most priced possession away. They don’t know Jesus‘ intentions. They can’t see what he has behind his back. They don’t know that in order to receive what Jesus wants to give them they have to be unencumbered meaning hands-free to receive such a large gift.

I was reminded of this image when speaking to my five-year-old son about his very wiggly front bottom teeth. For weeks these baby teeth have been loosening in preparation for the new adult teeth that will inevitably push them out. When my husband and I try to get our son to let us remove them, it’s met with, “no, I’m not ready!”, a change of subjects, and a quick meandering away. What my son doesn’t know is that the teeth are eventually going to fall out - this process is inevitable. Like the child with the bear, they’re growing and eventually, the bear will seem small. What my son also doesn’t know is that we would like to play tooth fairy, we want to exchange the tooth for a gift that would be of far more service and value to him.

Like the child with the bear, Jesus wants to surprise them with His lavish love… every good parent does! It’s also interesting to note that in trying to keep his teeth, my son is changing his normal habits. He is avoiding certain foods that he used to love such as apples, in truth he is avoiding anything with a harder texture. He is essentially changing his life to accommodate something temporary and eventually doing himself a disservice. Like the child with the bear, a new character needs to be established - one of obedience, faith, and generosity. We should never live too attached to anything temporary.

In Deuteronomy 30:11-16, the children of Israel find themselves in a similar conundrum. They are given a choice to lean into acts of obedience or to follow another path.

“For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. It is not [a secret laid up] in heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us, that we may hear and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear and do it? But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it. See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil. [If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which] I command you today, to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land into which you go to possess.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭AMPC‬‬

What I love about this scripture is the simplicity of the illustration:

-What God is asking to be done is clear, close, and within the realm of possibility, V.11

-What God is asking to be done He has confirmed. It is in your heart, in your mind, and in your mouth, V.14

-What God is asking you to do starts and is rooted in relationship… Love Him, Walk with Him, Receive instruction from Him, V.16

-What God is asking you to do commands a blessing… you shall live and multiply, V.16

If you find yourself struggling to obey, remember Jesus is close to you. He is lovingly instructing you to give him what you’re carrying because he knows it won’t serve you well in this next season. His intention is never to leave you empty or void. Trust his heart and lean in with your act of obedience…whatever that looks like for you in this stage of life!