Saturday night, I got a voice message from a beautiful five year old girl in the church named Emily. This is what she said: “Hi Pastor Tom, this is Emily. What is God? Call me back.”
As soon as I heard the message, I realized Dee and Shawna had a little theologian on their hands. I couldn’t wait to talk to Emily.
When we talked on the phone, I made sure Dee had the speaker turned on so that he could hear my answer to her question. That way he could defend himself.
I told Emily she had a wonderful question and I said, “God is the one who made the stars, moon, grass, cows, and everything else. And one of the ways God works is through people. The most important person was his son, Jesus. But today God is still working through people.” Then I decided to fix Dee’s wagon. I said, “We both know your daddy is a real stinker. (At this point, there was a lot of little girl giggles on the other end of the phone.) In fact, your daddy is such a stinker that God have him your mother and three little girls to help him always make the right decisions.” (At this point, Dee was beginning to complain but it was too late.)
Emily agreed her daddy needed all the help he could get. It was a wonderful conversation that ended with Emily saying, “I love you, Pastor Tom.” She melted my heart and I told her I loved her too.
While that answer was on a five year old’s level, it said pretty much everything that needed to be said.
God created the world and everything in it. God worked through Jesus for our salvation. And one of the most pronounced ways God works today is through other people.
God has placed people in your life for a reason. God has also placed you into the lives of others for the same reason – to make an impact for the good, to spread love, and to lighten another’s heavy load.
This is what the wisest of all people meant by saying: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
This is exactly what English poet John Donne meant, four hundred years ago, when he wrote: “No man is an island.”
Just know that we are all in this together and the God wants to use us in the lives of others.
So let God use you and live out your true purpose. It’s why you were made.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, thank you for all the people that have shaped and molded me into the person I am today. Please use me to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Emily is only five years old but she got it. Part of her reason for being is to keep her daddy on the straight and narrow. That will be a full time job.
Did I mention that one of the most beautiful sounds in the universe is a little girl laughing because her daddy is called a stinker?
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 