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Childlike Faith

Kids… they just trust you!  It can be pretty scary!!!

One time my family and I were wakeboarding with friends in North Nowra, when our boat driver informed us that we were going to jump off “Big Red.”  “Big Red” is a 13m-15m high cliff that overlooks a picturesque part of the Shoalhaven River… but, every time I tell this story “Big Red” gets a little bigger?!

On our way to the cliff, my son Jacob was so confident of his jump. He was talking it up. He was bragging about how he was going to be the first, jump the furthest, and conquer “Big Red” – until he looked over the edge.  We must have stood at the top of that cliff a good 10 minutes trying to convince him to go, but he just kept looking at how far down it was, and how tiny the boat was below. Even people’s shouts of encouragement were quiet from that height, and he couldn’t bring himself to jump.

My daughter, Alexandra, was sent up to see what was taking so long, and he rattled off the story – “It’s a long way down – it’s going to hurt – it can’t be done…” My daughter looked straight at me and asked, “Have you jumped dad?”  I told her that I had, she asked, “Am I going to be ok?” I told her she was… then she just turned, ran and jumped!

Kids… they just trust you!  There’s something about the authority and experience we carry which fills them with confidence and empowers them to step out in faith – all be it misguided at times.

When I look at my life and inspect some of my decisions and actions, there are times I struggle to trust myself… but that day my daughter taught me a great lesson – when your trust is firmly placed in someone greater than yourself, you can take great leaps of faith you could never take on your own.

Jesus has all the power, authority and experience that we need to believe Him concerning anything that we face. He’s the perfect, never failing, infinitely loving, all-powerful, Saviour of the world that stands with us, wherever we are, whatever we are doing He says, “Jump… I’ve got it all under control!”  

I pray that the Holy Spirit will enlarge your faith this week to see even greater things, as you place your trust ever more in Him.

(P.S. Jacob jumped twice that day, and we had to drag him away so we could get some more wakeboarding in before the sun went down!!!)

John Viles

Divisional Youth and Children's Ministry Secretary. NSW/ACT DHQ
- The Salvation Army, Australia Eastern Territory.
www.salvoyouthandkids.com.au