Jack Has Begun to Walk!

My grandson Jack, who is now 14 months old, has decided that he wants to spend most of his traveling-time on his feet. In other words, he has begun to walk! It’s not that previously he couldn’t walk at all. It’s just that he felt much more secure on his hands and knees—and he could get around much faster by crawling than walking. Most recently, however, he has begun to make the transition from his knees to his feet.  Jack has begun to walk. 

It seems to me that Jack, like most babies, is very pragmatic. Why walk when it feels much safer to be closer to the ground? Why walk when one can move much faster on their knees than on their feet? Why walk when there is yet so much instability in an upright position compared to being down on one’s hands and knees? But as the instability has begun to fade and the pace has picked up, the transition is being made from crawling to walking.  

Of course, we are all very much like Jack and most other babies. We like our safety and security. We want to be able to move and get things done as quickly as possible. We want to minimize our risks. Thus, we naturally become quite pragmatic about our lives—often taking the easiest route towards our goals; taking the way of least resistance; doing what brings the most immediate gratification. But is that always the best and wisest way to live our lives? 

I think you’d agree that, the way Jesus teaches us to live does not always seem to be the most pragmatic. He says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.” Jesus teaches us to lay down our lives, take up our cross, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, love your enemy, be willing to be last rather than always trying to be first, etc.  None of that seems like very pragmatic advice for people who want to get ahead in life. 

It’s almost like Jesus is telling us to walk when it would feel so much more comfortable to crawl. After all, it doesn’t seem very safe to lay down one’s life, to turn the other cheek, to love our enemy, to be last. People will take advantage of us and walk all over us…and maybe take our stuff, our position, or even our lives!  You can’t get ahead in life if you live Jesus’ way—or, so we believe. 

It’s true that following Jesus may not always be the most pragmatic way to live our lives, at least from our human perspective. By faith, however, we trust him to know what is actually best for us, for our world, for the Kingdom of God, and for eternity. As followers of Jesus, we live by faith and not by sight. That’s doesn’t always feel all that pragmatic, yet it is God’s way into the blessings he has for us. 

Today, let me encourage you to get off the ground and begin to walk as Jesus would have you walk, doing the things Jesus would have you do, living your life the way Jesus would have you live. Maybe it’s time for some of us to become a little less pragmatic—to get out of our comfort zones, take some risks, and trust Jesus with our lives. Let’s be people who live not according to the pragmatism of this world, but according to the teachings of our Savior, Jesus. 

Have a great day! 

Pastor Tim Harris