There is a new hit show on Fox called, 'Are you smarter than a 5th grader?'. It's a very clever show that takes several 5th grade students and a bunch of questions from 5th grade text book and some adult must try to answer the questions using the kids for help. No, I wouldn't win much money on that show without the kids' help. It's a good reminder of what all we have forgotten in the decades since we attended the 5th grade.
My oldest son Kaden is currently in the 3rd grade. I was reminded last night that in many areas of life, I'm not smarter than Kaden. While he was doing his homework last night, Konnie told him to bring me an assignment that he had finished in class recently. It was a picture of a pot of gold glued on yellow paper. The task was to write about something that was worth more than gold. Here's what Kaden wrote:
"God is more precious than gold!!! He is more precious than gold because he gave us the world and the Bible. The most important thing is when we believe in the Bible, we believe in Him. He gives us eternal life and heaven. That's why he is the only God in the world. That's why God is more precious than gold."
I was so humbled when I read this. Why? Because I don't know if I would have written this if asked the same question. I might have said my family, my friends. I might have said something really stupid like UNC winning the national title is more precious than gold. Kaden goes to public school. I don't sit down with him daily and read scripture. I rarely have spiritual talks with him on any level that would have led him to write this. I'm sure that he learned this from Sunday School or from the A.W.A.N.A program at our church. He's so much smarter than me.
Here are some verses to back up Kaden's writing:
Psalm 19:9-10
"The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. The are more precious than gold, than more pure gold; they are sweater than honey, than honey from the comb."
Psalm 119:127
"Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold....."
Luke 16:13
"No servant can be in bondage to two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will cling fast to one and scorn the other. You cannot be bond servants both of God and of gold."
1 Peter 1:7
"...that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ"
Needless to say, I'm proud of my son. But here's the catch: without my involvement or input, Kaden may well lose this light that he has. If I don't do my part to be a better example to him, and if that causes Kaden to fall spiritually, then I will have more to answer for than you can imagine. This isn't about education, because I have that. This is about application and I don't have much of that. Is it any wonder that Jesus said this:
Matthew 18: 3-4
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Humble yourselves... I sure have been.
