I am 5 years old!
I remember coming home after my first year of college only to have my dad “joke” about charging rent.
“Welcome home son! I’ve been thinking about what a fair rent could be for this summer.”
“Hah Dad! That’s funny, I live here…this is my home, you should just be glad that you get to be with me all summer long! Why would you even consider rent?”
“I don’t remember seeing your name on the deed?”
“Hah! Whatever! Can I use the car this Friday?”
“I am thinking that maybe $150 a month would suffice.”
“Dad! Give it a rest! You’re NOT funny! Do we have anything to eat?”
“What makes you think that I am joking?”
“I put my laundry down stairs. Can you let Mom know? I’m going to need it by tomorrow night; I’m planning on getting together with some friends to hang out.”
“If you are not going to pay rent, you WILL be working for your lodging.”
“Ugh! Dad! I am 19 years old now and I should be able to make my own decisions and do what I want!”
“It’s either rent or work. How about you decide that?”
“FINE! This is SO unfair!”
As a 19 year old, I may or may not have had a disconnect between my ears. Now 30 years later, I KNOW that I had a disconnect between my ears…and in reality…I still do. I am just one of the guilty parties that make up a society that is dependently independent.
As humans we scream for independence until our independence leaves us wanting or in need and then we suddenly shift back towards dependency. It is like the college student who wants to make their own decision…and still rely on the comforts and safety of home.
Many years ago my wife was substitute teaching for a kindergarten class in Little Falls. Of course, the day included a trip to the zoo. I think many kindergarten teachers find themselves conveniently “sick” on the days of the local zoo field trip. My wife spent the day wrangling and herding the kindergarteners here and there, giving instructions and commands to keep them in line as well as out of the animal pens. At one point one little girl was refusing to obey.
“Alice, you need to get down from that fence. That is not a safe place for you to be.”
Alice did not move.
“Alice, you NEED to get down.”
Alice did not move.
“Alice, you NEED to get down NOW!”
Alice responded…”I AM 5 YEARS OLD! I DO NOT NEED ANYONE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!”
We know that at 5 years old Alice DOES need to be told what to do. She IS dependent upon the authorities in her life. Yet, like Alice we too may struggle with submitting to authorities in our lives. Matthew 28:18-20 reveals who the REAL authority is. It is Jesus. Jesus as the ultimate authority is giving us some instruction. I have given a great deal of thought to what Jesus wants…us to do…I have concluded…I think he wants us to do what he says.
May we come to both hear and do, what Jesus says.
