The World of Make-Believe

I was playing with my kids last night in the yard. My son and I were "fighting." He was Pirate Jason and I was Captain Daddy. My "sword" was actually a padded kids' bat, while his weapon of choice was a "fireball" (i.e. a cushioned Cincinnati Reds baseball). Meanwhile, two of my daughters kept climbing up the slide and then crossing over to the top of the Little Tykes playhouse where they'd proceed to cry out, "Captain Daddy, save us from the tower before the dragon (Jason) gets us." 

Normally, I do wrestle with my kids, but it's not often that I enter the world of make-believe, at least not to this extent. And honestly, one of the reason is that playing make-believe with children is always kind of annoying because (and bear with me) not only do they insist on being the good guys every single time (thus making me the villian), but they always win. It doesn't matter how many times you slash them with your wiffle-bat or shoot them with your lightning rod or pelt them with cushioned balls, I mean...er, fireballs - they never die or suffer defeat, and yet they expect you to "wince in pain" and fall down dead at even the most elementary combo attack. I mean...what's up with that? Doesn't it ever occur to them that I might want to be the good guy, or that I might want to win sometimes? Seriously, wouldn't you think that they...

Oh. Sorry. I got a little carried away. Where was I going with that? Oh, yeah...

Last night, after we put the kids to bed, I was reflecting on our stint in the world of make-believe, and it occurred to me that the two aforementioned qualities are actually really good qualities with spiritual implications that hopefully they'll carry with them through life.

First of all, it's great that they are naturally drawn to the good side. They don't want to be the villian or antagonist; they want to be the brave warriors that fend off evil. And they actually fight over who gets to be the good guy and who has to be the bad guy. And secondly, even though we sometimes suffer defeat in life (and yes, we ought to teach our children how to respond to defeat with grace and dignity), it is admirable that they are developing a desire for victory - the good guy wins!

Here's the ultimate point, folks: we need to teach our children (and ourselves) that both of these objectives are achieved in Christ. When we obey the gospel and put on Christ in baptism, we are joining the army of the Lord; we're the good guys fighting against the forces of evil, and yes, we will attain victory in Christ!

"You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 2:3).

"Fight the good fight of faith..." (1 Tim. 6:12).

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Eph. 6:13).

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8).

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith" (1 John 5:4).

So as much as I might despise always being the villian, and as annoying as it sometimes is to be a weak villian fighting against seemingly invincible heroes, I guess I'll encourage these traits in my children with the hope that they'll apply them on a spiritual level as they one day put on Christ, grow in Christ, and attain the ultimate victory in Christ.