I had to re-read this entry in MUFHH a couple of times to get at Chambers' point. This is one of the more "philosophical" of his entries in that it looks at things a bit further behind the surface things I do. The reply of Jesus to His parents when they find Him in the Temple is really interesting. But I have never thought to apply it as Chambers has. In Luke 2:49 Jesus replies to Mary (Joseph is again silent), "What that you look for Me? You didn't know that in these of My Father it is necessary for me to be?" The word "house" is missing. The definite article saves a "place" for something that is normally translated "house." The article is plural, not singular as I would expect. So I left it as is rather than inserting "House" like everyone else. Why start following the religious crowd now after all the years in passive aggressive rebellion?
Without "house" I find a wider interpretation available to me. Oddly it supports the application of Chambers really well. He makes an interesting statement, "Our Lord's childhood was not immature man-hood; our Lord's childhood is an eternal fact." I had not gone there. The "faith of a child" I am supposed to have is the faith demonstrated by my Master in the walk of His life? This is one of those things where I wonder that it never occurred to me before. Why wouldn't it be? My walk each day is to be the child-like confidence and connection that my Master enjoyed in His earthly life with the Father.
My daughter is an only child. She desperately wants the attention of my wife and me. I work at home now, and it can be awkward timing to give her that attention. But that is exactly how I am to be with my Master. I should be annoying Him with conversation all day long. My daughter restrains herself, but she wants more contact than I can give her. She wants my attention, to do things so I notice, to make things that I am impressed with. She wants me involved in all the things she does. She wants to be a part of nearly everything we do. Why am I not this way with my Master? What is wrong with me that I haven't seen this? Am I so deluded into self-sufficient imaginings that I believe I don't really need to be that connected to Him?
I suspect that the life of a child is wrapped up and completely dependent upon their parents. And I mean "life" in the sense of "get a life!" not in the sense of being fed and cared for. Their sense of self and value is tied directly to their parents. They just see this as the way it is and only later try to escape it (adolescence). Why am I not this way with my Master? Why do I not see my "life" as totally dependent upon Him? This is especially hard for me in light of how much my Master has done to provide for this life I enjoy here. I have to be really thick not to see and get this. I feel really stupid right now. And yet, even as I write this, I feel this sense of discomfort in being "childish" with my Master.
There is a certain sense in which I entered adulthood to avoid the fears of childhood. Everything was unknown and scary as a child. The world was a big frightening place. It still is, but as an adult I have learned to prop up a façade to hide behind for safety. It isn't real, nor is it very sturdy, and it is partially propped up by an assumption that people will essentially obey certain basic societal rules. Not everyone does, and I have this underlying fear of "what if" I run into one. It's really a poor way to live when I pull it out and look at it.
Children don't worry about such things, at least not until their world is invaded by such people. Usually children just rely on their parents to take care of stuff and make their world work. And that usually works. So, when I have the Maker and Sustainer of the Universe and sub-atomic particles as a parent, why don't I do that? Why can't I just rely on my Father to take care of stuff and make my world work? There is one problem with this view. Children don't like pain, and pain makes up a lot of what believers experience in life. That's a whole different entry, but the solution is that pain does not distract children from their parents, it usually increases their focus.
The basic application for me is to annoy my Master with questions, discoveries, bad artwork, and scraped knees. I need to always be asking what He's up to, and "can I help?" Entering an apprenticeship is sort of what it's like, except that I will always be the child working the plastic kid's tools instead of the real work of my Master. That's ok, I don't mind being forever young. I'm part of the way there anyway; I play a lot of games, wear shorts and hats, and like the icing more than the cake. Now if I can just ratchet up my annoying level with my Master, I might be headed in the right direction. By the way, how can I re-frame my work as "play"? That's a tough one. I know! Chores! Oh boy, chores.
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