First I have to acknowledge that not all parents are good. I came across some parents when I was a teacher who were cruel and hateful to their children. I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about the regular, reliable, standard issue parents that most of us were given. They are not all good or all bad but dance somewhere back-and-forth between the two, spending most of their time on the good side.

We love them because we were born to them and created to love them, because they took care of us before we realized we needed their care. We love them because they are there for everything. They change diapers, dress us, feed us, discipline us, teach us right from wrong, protect us from harm, and so much more. We learn to trust them with our tragedies and our celebrations because they see it all. We know we need parents because they know more, can do more, and are on our side. They teach us about loving and being loved. They give us value and values.

I feel this is a perfect image of Jesus in our lives. He is the perfect parent without the shortcomings of humanity. He really does love us. He is constantly working to make our lives better. We are children to Jesus no matter how old we get. We need help, guidance, rescue, correction, discipline and all the other things parents provide children. Everyone needs to learn more about loving and being loved.

Honesty would require us to admit that age doesn’t keep us from acting like small children. We tell Jesus what He ought to do and when. We behave poorly when we don’t get our way. We fight over other children’s toys and don’t play well with others. We have adult versions for all the misbehaviors we see in the small ones in our lives.

The Lord knows how to deal with all the spiritual realities of humans, every stage, every season, no matter the age. He has children in every state of mind, emotion, and life, everywhere. He is dealing with them as they are, working to grow them into better lives. I consider how much trouble I would have avoided in my life had I just done what my parents told me to do. Jesus is just like that, but better.