There are two things that my little gal, Lilli, would binge on, 24/7, if given the freedom to do so. The first is candy. The girl LOVES candy, and comes by it honestly because her father is the reigning (ironically light-weight) CANDY-EATING CHAMPION OF THE WORLD! The other is her beloved iPad. You give her some Martha the Talking Dog, or My Little Ponies, or “Lady” (Lady and the Tramp), and hand her a “Lolli” (DumDum lollipop), and her world is spinning perfection.
Of course, her world is not spinning perfection nearly as often as she’d like, but she campaigns regularly for her two top love languages, in hopes that someone will throw her a bone and start speaking them. Last night, things apparently worked out for her, at least on the iPad front. Her mom posted this conversation on Facebook:
Lilli is watching a movie and pauses it to say, “Mom, sometimes I wish I could be in the movies, and I mean like in them, like crawl through the screen and GET IN THAT movie.”
“Oh yeah?” I say. “What would you do?”
She replies, “I don’t know. Probably find some candy and just sit up front for the action.”
See how she worked that candy in there? Such a ninja.
But that last part has had me thinking since I read it.
Sit up front for the action.
You know, I’m pretty sure that’s what God wants from us. He doesn’t really want us living our lives behind our screens, but in the thick of it. He wants us to GET IN THAT life He’s calling us to lead, and get right up front where all the action is, not sitting idly by as a spectator, but joining Him in changing the world.
Every day, in every relationship, contact, or interaction we have, we have an invitation to jump the screen and get in the action of our lives. What would happen if we did it today? There may not be a lolli waiting for us, but I feel most certain that it would be exceedingly sweet.
“Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it.” John 14:12 MSG
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 MSG