It was the turn of the head that caught my eye as the little girl in the pew just ahead reached for her mama’s face. Turn the mama did—smiling at the child in the pew. She beheld the face of her child, and attentive to it she was. Gentle this mama was with her child desiring her attention.
Worship music played, and mama sang along to the beat of the drum in the pew just ahead. The child took note and swung in sync—head barely reaching the top of the wooden pew—as she admired her mama keeping time.
As the basket was passed for collection, little hands were given a few coins for the coffers. The parents placed within the basket that which was due the Lord’s, and the little girl mimicked likewise. “Feed the hungry,” says Jesus. And the parents did as packages were left in the entryway of the church. Twas the season of giving and the little girl followed suit –watching as the gifts were placed just so for others in need.
In Matthew 5 the Beatitudes are given to us. I like that word, Beatitude. It’s the attitude of which we must be. To be about Our Father’s business, we must first just BE. Be present as He is present. Tis a gift. It’s given as Christ holds fast to BE. Be holding us He does so that we may be beholding to Him in all that way say and do.
Loving your neighbor as yourself—and loving Him with all your mind and heart and soul are the two greatest commandments. So how do we BE about Our Father’s business? How do we DO what is being asked of us? Tis a mystery— this faith of ours and thus the fruit sort of springs up here and there. Often we fail to take note when we see it being produced. BE—HOLDING—Gazing at the face of God as He gazes back at us is a beautiful picture of BEHOLDING—being about our Father’s business as the fruit is all His.
How does this all happen— this mystery of faith? Deep and wide it is, so says Ephesians 3:18. “I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp loves’ width and length, height and depth, together with all believers.” When unfolding before us—it’s worthy of note as was the mama with her child in the pew.
What was happening in the pew just ahead? Poor in Spirit this mama was as she kneeled before the Lord our God, creator of heaven and earth. Blessed this mama was as she mourned to be comforted as the weight of the world from the sins of the world hung upon the cross of which she knelt before. Meek this mama was as she leaned into the Lord as the child beside her leaned into her. Hungering and thirsting for righteousness was present as mama made her way up to table of grace offering His body and His blood with child in tow who would also receive a blessing. Merciful was mama as she shushed her child a time or two with a finger pressed gently to the lips to quiet. Peacemaker was mama as she equipped the next generation to follow suit in thought word and deed as the Gospel was being proclaimed in the name of the Lord. Unbeknownst to the little child, mama was equipping as mama knelt strong.
Acts 17:28 says, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as even some of your poets have said, ‘for we are indeed, his offspring.’” (Psalm 34:8). May we live faith before little ones given us as children of God—may it be so for the grands and great grands as well. Amen.
