A Sermon from the Creative World of a 4-year-old…

Four-year-olds. Imagination. Vision. Insight. 

Four-year-olds remind me of truths I often forget. If you’ve ever spent time with these amazing young humans, you probably resonate.

Occasionally, I have the rare privilege of stepping outside my reality and entering theirs. I find myself surrounded by wooden-block cities, racecar tracks, or crayon drawings depicting exciting adventures with victorious battles. I might be in a world where cars can fly, but sailboats must be hidden in a cave. I may hear a story of a Lego king who is lucky enough to have an ice cream factory right in the middle of his city! 

Do I question what they say they’ve created? Do I tell them they’re wrong? Would I say that the sailboat in the cave really looks like a bus racing through a jungle? No, I don’t—or at least I try not to. Why? Because they are the ones who built their world, and the authority to declare the truth about what they’ve made belongs to them.

If this is true for the world of a 4-year-old, consider how much truer it is for the God who created OUR world—and all that is within it. And what about each of us? We are a one-of-a-kind, purpose-made design! (Jeremiah 29:11). We, humans, are walking miracles regardless of the circumstances of our earliest beginnings. (Psalm 139:13-14). My 12th Mile journey, though, has convinced me that we often struggle to live from this unshakable truth. I struggle with it. But here’s the thing… what we think about who we are really matters! (Yep, The Central Governor thing again…Email#2) ;o) 

Priscilla Shirer is a motivational speaker, author, and Bible teacher. To her, this identity thing and what we believe about ourselves are crucial. Priscilla argues that if our identity is not based on what God says is true about us… Then, “you will either live up to or you will live down to whatever you believe to be true about who you are.” (Priscilla Shirer). With infectious humor and a relaxed Texan style, she declares we are an expression of God’s creative genius… even our weaknesses, allow His strength to shine more clearly in our lives. No one else has the authority to speak about us as He does! You can access her entire teaching on Identity here.

It is the Christmas season. We celebrate the most incredible love story ever told—God himself considered us so precious and valuable that he sent his son to be born as a baby in a manger—an animal’s feed trough! He lived on this earth to show that in God’s eyes, we matter! And…He was willing to give His life to win that truth forever for each of us (John 3:16). 

May this Christmas season inspire us to reflect on the incredible truth that four-year-olds reminded me of: God made us. He alone has the authority to speak the truth of who we are. To Him, we are priceless! When we know Him and accept Him as our Heavenly Father, this is what He declares as true over us:

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what WE ARE!  1 John 3:1

With love,

Louise Ann