Be a Do-er...Not Just a Hearer

 "Jesus said, 'Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" 

-Matthew 18:3-4

James has really been paying attention during devotions and church lately. He’s been remembering things that were mentioned in the sermon that even Josh and I had forgotten. And he has been wanting to talk about them; asking questions that show he’s been thinking deeply about things of eternal importance.

In the night James had come to me and complained about a bad dream he had had. I prayed for him and he went happily back to sleep. A thunder storm, a restless rabbit and a stiff neck provided me with a restless night. In the morning, I overslept. At 7:30 I was jarred awake by the sounds of laundry being shuffled around just outside my bedroom door. I had heard Josh leave for work about 45 minutes before. Did he forget to put the garage door down? Did someone let themselves in to do my laundry??

I cautiously stepped out of my room to see James unloading the last of the clothes from the dryer into a laundry basket. “Good Morning!” we cheerfully greeted one another. “I’m helping you with laundry,” he explained.

I was shocked.

Not because he was helping with laundry, because James likes to help me do chores - especially laundry. But from the moment this kid opens his eyes in the morning, the only thing on his mind is breakfast. Even after breakfast is over, he is already wondering what and when we are going to eat again.

No mention of food…just a boy on a mission!

I followed him to the living room and asked, “Honey, why are you doing the laundry?”

“Because when I was sleeping God told me, ‘James, wake up and do the laundry and I will bless you.’ And I got up right away and went to get the laundry.”

“God woke you up and told you to do laundry?”

“Yes. He said to help you with the laundry and that He would wake you up.”

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."  

 James 1:22

James isn’t one of those kids that likes to make up stories a lot. Sometimes he will make up a story, but then he always tells it with his silly voice. There is no mistaking it. He was absolutely certain that God spoke to him this morning and told him to help with the laundry. And I believe He did too. But more importantly than hearing God speak to him, He obeyed His Word!

“James, don’t you remember Samuel? When he was a boy, God called to him while he was asleep too. I’m so glad that you chose to wake up and obey God this morning.”

“I remembered the sermon yesterday. I want to obey God and show Him I love Him.”

Josh and I pray every day that our children would know God for who He truly is, that they would love Him with all their heart, and that they would live every moment of their lives in obedience to Him. I have been watching God actively working in James' heart for over a year now. Oh, how worthy He is of our praise!

I pray that I, too, would be as sensitive to hear, as quick to obey and as committed to love God as my little boy was this morning.

"But Jesus said, 'Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' 

-Matthew 19:14