“Earning Brownie points”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Monday, November 25, 2024

Luke 18: 15-30 (Forward, p. 27) CEV p. 1086

Many youth organizations feature a kind of graduated incentive program to spur on their charges to future growth and accomplishment. They are often called merit or proficiency badges—or, in the colloquial, ‘brownie points.’

Many people also hold this idea when it comes to faith or religion. They see it as a continual and never-ending struggle to earn favour with God, to be good enough for Him.

We see something of this in the two parts of today’s reading. The rich young ruler had it in his mind that he needed ‘to do something’ to attain eternal life, whereas the little children harboured nothing of this false idea. They simply came to Jesus just as they were, warts and all. They knew that they were loved, welcomed, and included. And so Jesus’ words to us are most appropriate: we need to come to Jesus with open hands and hearts, simply to receive Him and His never to be stinted love and care. We need to come to Him like a little child does.

Forward notes: “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs” (verse 16b).

“As a parent of a young child, I have to remind myself of this verse, especially, ironically, when I am in church. In church, my foster son likes to make loud noises when the service is silent, bang his cars around on the metal folding chairs, and run and laugh and cry. Well, basically, he acts the same at church as he does at home.

“I have to remind myself that his noises and imaginary play are beautiful things, not annoyances. He comes to church without inhibition, unafraid to be completely himself. Maybe we all need to take a cue from him.”

Moving Forward: “Is there a parent of a young child in your congregation that you can encourage? Maybe you could sit and play with a little one during the next service, joining them in their world.”