Daily Devotional (GPS)
Childlike trust takes mature thinking
Daily Scripture
1 Corinthians 13:11, 14:20
1 Corinthians 13
11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, reason like a child, think like a child. But now that I have become a man, I’ve put an end to childish things.
1 Corinthians 14
20 Brothers and sisters, don’t be like children in the way you think. Well, be babies when it comes to evil, but be adults in your thinking.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Jesus’ approval of children pointed to many traits that Jesus’ followers need to have, like innocence and trust. Yet as the apostle Paul dealt with the issues troubling his converts in Corinth, he also noted the importance of leaving parts of childhood behind. “The first image is of the child growing to maturity…. Tongues, prophecy, clever-sounding words of knowledge: child’s play, says Paul. Give me the grown-up stuff, the real spiritual, emotional and personal maturity.” *
- Ironically, many of the problems the Corinthians faced (like disputing whose spiritual gifts were greatest—cf. 1 Corinthians 12:19-27) sprang from what, before Paul’s preaching led them to Jesus, they thought was very adult philosophy. Most Greek and Roman philosophers saw humility as weak and foolish. Paul saw the struggle for status that attitude created as childish and hurtful. What parts of human “wisdom” have you left behind while maturing as a child of God?
- Paul made a clever play on words. Being babies can be good. “When it comes to evil, he says, you should still be babies. There is no shame, no immaturity, in simply not knowing about the depths of evil and perversity in the world.” But be adults: “There are people who pride themselves on knowing about evil, but can’t be bothered to think through serious issues from a biblical or theological point of view.” ** What helps you know more about good than you do about evil?
Prayer
Loving God, you valued children enough to tell your followers to be more like them. Guide me in growing a faith that is trustingly childlike (yet never mindlessly childish). Amen.
GPS Insights
Leah Swank-Miller
Leah Swank-Miller serves as Director of Student Ministries at Resurrection Overland Park. A Kansas native, she has been a professional actress for nearly two decades, and she loves to see the vastness of God’s creation through theatre and the arts. Leah recently graduated with an M.Div. from Saint Paul School of Theology. Leah, Brian, and their two children love to play tennis, golf, soccer, and board games.
I wonder how I can cultivate a faith that is trustingly childlike yet far from mindlessly childish. I wonder if I even know what that means. I’ve been asking “I wonder” questions after attending a recent conference in Kansas City called Pause/Play for Preachers. Led by author and keynote speaker Marcia McFee, we had fun with improv, board games, art, and music-making. A key focus was asking how our ministry can engage in the awe of God’s creation in ways that allow us and our congregations to go deeper in our faith. I was struck by the emphasis on awe and wonder. While so much of society is focused on happiness, the reality is that happiness is consistently unattainable. On the other hand, wonder can exist in both the highs and lows of life. Wonder is more realistic, and yet, how often do we allow ourselves to be in wonder moments with God?
As a youth pastor, I am privileged to lead 6th-12th graders along their faith journey. In my years in ministry and motherhood, I’ve found that children and teens often approach life with a sense of awe and wonder unmatched by adults. This perspective allows them to see the world as full of possibilities and miracles. These moments are on full display during our several student-serve trips throughout the summer. Whether in Arkansas with middle schoolers, in KC with 6th graders, or the mountains of North Carolina with high schoolers, students learn to integrate trust with curiosity, awe with critical thinking, and humility with compassion. It’s beautiful to be a part of. Dare I say awe-inspiring!
On one of the last days of our high school serve trip, I dared to wake up at 4:30 am and go on a sunrise hike with my 15-year-old son and several students and leaders. I’m not a morning person, and my body is certainly not used to working out at 5 am. But I promised to see the sunrise at the top of a mountain with my firstborn and many awesome students. The incline was not kind, and quickly into the hike, most students, including my son, were bounding past me up the mountain. I’m grateful for my fellow leaders who stayed by my side and took the time to pause so we could breathe, press forward when we could, and take it slow. I won’t lie; I wanted to stop and head back down so many times. But I had encouragement around me to keep going. We asked questions about where we were and how much longer there was to go, and just as I thought I couldn’t go further, I heard my son’s voice shouting for me from up the trail. “Mom, can you hear my voice? Just keep going. You’re so close; the sunrise is coming, and you got this. Just keep following my voice!” He waited for me, and we climbed that last portion of the trail together.
We arrived just in time to see the glorious sun slip seamlessly through the mountaintops and show itself in all its wonder and awe. God’s creation is the reminder that God is always with us, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. I’m so glad I didn’t quit and miss an awe-inspiring, goose-bump-giving, faith-forming moment.
Friends, nurturing a faith that is trustingly childlike yet not mindlessly childish is not always easy, but it’s a journey that invites you to experience God like no other. I’ve found that pursuing “awe moments” with God does not mean abandoning critical thinking. It’s about integrating the innocence of trust with the discernment of maturity. This balance allows us to take time to appreciate the beauty and mystery of our faith. It takes maturity to seek out the awe of life. I’m grateful our students are great examples of taking that opportunity.
How will you see the world in a new light today? How will you curate curiosity and connection with others? How will you see the beauty of wonder? Hmmmm, I wonder.
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Resurrection offers a free tool for those who wish to read the Bible daily. Our Grow/Pray/Study guide (GPS) provides a Bible reading, Scripture reflections based on the passage, inspirational quotes from leading Bible scholars, questions to help readers apply the Bible to their faith journey, and a daily prayer guide at the end of each day’s reflection. Many readers have told us the GPS has strengthened their spiritual growth and helped them better understand how to let the Bible guide them in Christian living.
