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What do you love more than Jesus?

On the way home from church yesterday,  the Sasster was in fine form. Overflowing with drama and whine. Wanting her blankies. And not wanting a lot of things. Then she makes the statement:

"I love my blankies more than I love Jesus."

An honest, revealing statement from her sinful little heart. Idolatry in its simplest form.

My response went something like this: "Well baby, the Bible tells us to love Jesus more than anything so sometimes we have to choose to love Jesus more even though we don't feel like it."

Kyle's response was this: "Laura Kate, who gave you your blankies? (God did.) Ok. Do you know how much mommy and daddy love you? (SOOO much!) That's right. We love you SO much. Did you know that God gave you to us? (uh huh). We love you SO much, but we love God more because he gave you to us."

It has me thinking this morning.....about my own little idol-factory: my heart. You see, we were all born for one purpose: to worship our Creator. The problem comes when we worship things other than our creator. We will always worship something, but sometimes, a lot of the time, we will worship other things first. Because it's easier. Because it's faster. Because it feels better. Regardless, we all do it.

My response to her, not that it was un-true, may not be the most helpful. Sometimes it is true that we just have to set our mind, heart, and will to do something and just do it. However, Kyle's response to her helps us get a little bit better idea on where our hearts stray: We take our eyes off the Giver and place them on the gift.

Is it sin for my 4-year old to find comfort in her blankies? Fundamentally, no. In fact, a lot of times it is a very good thing.  As long as they don't take the place of comfort from Jesus. So often our idols are made and born from good desires. But there comes a time, often enough, when there is a subtle (and not so subtle) shift in our prioritizing and we shift those things as equal or above the gift-Giver. We turn to creation for comfort instead of the Creator. And that my friends, is idolatry.

And I am guilty of this. I find comfort in things like words from other people, in obedient, compliant children, in a full tummy, in a clean house, in "me" time, in worship songs I want to sing, in bubble baths, in my blankies.... All, when broken down, not bad things. But so often, I seek these things first instead of seeking the Giver of these things. So often, I seek these things more than the Giver of these things.

Laura Kate's statement was honest and true. You see I don't doubt that Laura Kate loves her blankies more than Jesus. She's not old enough to make her sin look pretty yet. So she honestly revealed her heart. But I think there is something in that child-like statement that the Lord looks at and says, "I can do something with that."

So what are your blankies? What do you seek for comfort? What do you love more than Jesus?

Would you join me in honestly confessing them with a child-like heart today and turning to the Giver and the Creator for your comfort instead?

3 comments

  1. Thanks for sharing this! Great post.

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  2. Thanks for sharing this! Great post. (By the way, if this posts 3 times I blame the internetz.)

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  3. @Johanna - only twice :) and you're welcome. Always count on the Sasster for great life lessons.

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