Stay in a Child’s Place By: Brandi J. Wardlow

Stay in a Child’s Place
By: Brandi J. Wardlow 

The dictionary describes “playing” as engaging in activity for enjoyment, to engage in something without the proper seriousness, to participate, to represent, or, to perform. Whereas, the Urban Dictionary (the dictionary for modern slang), refers to playing as, cheating or messing with someone’s head. At some point in our Christian walk, we play entirely too much. We either play Christian in church for enjoyment or play in our spiritual growth without the proper seriousness. We play, as in to, participate in the membership of the body of Christ, or to represent Christ in our spiritual walk. Sometimes, we call ourselves, playing God. Whether we try to cheat God, mess with God or, even try to BE God. But, however, we attempt to play God or play around with God, the reality is that we never win. We don’t win or outsmart God because He IS God all by himself. Sovereign.
Deuteronomy 6:16 [AMP] warns us, “You shall not tempt and try the Lord your God.” When we call ourselves “playing God,” we act in disobedience. There is nothing we can teach God, we aren’t equal to Him. As Colossians 1:16-17 pointed out, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.”
The Bible refers to us as children of God because, despite age or experience, we are not old, adult, or grown in the spiritual realm. The idea of being grown is that we are fully developed. However, Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:3, to be childlike – to have the eagerness and the capability to continually grow in the world. We are children in God because we haven’t reached the pinnacles of our growth. We still require discipline and correction. We are fully born into Him. And taking a page out of the “black upbringing,” children have a place to stay in. We have a place in Him that we must not overstep. Yet, many of us, like rebellious teenagers, test our Father.
My mother used to tell me that she had to raise each of her children differently. The curriculum was precisely the same. However, we all needed to be taught and loved in a way in which we would understand – in a way that would meet our spiritual and psychological needs. In school, this is often referred to as an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Typically, we see IEP’s in students that have learning or developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, there is something that hinders the student from receiving the knowledge as quickly or as directly as the others. Thus, the student’s advisor drafts a plan that meets the psychological needs of the child. 
Needing an IEP doesn’t mean the child is dumb or slow. Instead, it means that the child needs specific care. Many of us believe we are exempt from needing special academic attention. We think that because we attend Church regularly or we can quote scriptures from Genesis to Revelations that we have this “God” thing down packed. So much so, that some of us even have this elitist attitude or approach to God and our spiritual walk. We begin to think that we have mastered God or that we are grown and are excused from some need for correction. But, as Proverbs 1:7 notes, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” I mean, if we didn’t have a learning or developmental disability, we wouldn’t sin, right? Just look at Adam and Eve. We saw what God did to Adam and Eve when they disobeyed him, and yet, we make a mistake with almost every breath we take. And in response, God gives us our own little IEP. He has to meet us exactly where we are. 
The story of Jonah opens up with God speaking directly to Jonah. The HCSB version states, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah” (Jonah 1:1). This specification speaks to Jonah’s relationship and the ability to discern. It didn’t say God came to Jonah or an angel appeared but that the word of the Lord came to Jonah. So, Jonah not only knew God but was aware of discerning his thoughts from the voice of God. The word that God shared with Jonah was an instruction to go to Ninevah and warn them of God’s wrath. However, like many of us, when we are called, we don’t answer “yes.” Some of us run in the opposite direction. Playing God. How does one correctly run from God? Where exactly can you go, and what place can hide you from the creator of all things? Jonah ran right onto a boat in the middle of a storm. 
The storm was so profound that the men aboard the boat looked immediately at Jonah and questioned him. The crew needed to know who Jonah was and what he had done. After Jonah announces himself as, “a Hebrew who worships Yahweh, the God of the Heavens” (Jonah 1:9), the men became frightened and afraid. They knew this storm was a result of his disobedience. Taking ownership and accountability, Jonah encourages the men to throw him overboard, and the storm would settle. Before following Jonah’s instructions, the men then prayed for mercy at the horrendous act and proceeded to throw Jonah into the sea. Immediately, the storm settled. Can we take a moment to commend Jonah for recognizing that he was toxic, and he needed to remove himself? K? Great, take notes. The HCSB entitles the next portion of the scripture as, “Jonah’s Rescue and Intercession.” Verse 17 says, “Now the Lord had appointed a huge fish to swallow Jonah.” What we all know is that this is a whale that keeps Jonah in his belly for 3 days.  
I want to pause Jonah’s story to introduce Zechariah. We meet Zechariah in Luke 1, as an old man, married to barren Elizabeth – the cousin of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Zechariah and Elizabeth both longed for a child but were never blessed with one until Gabriel visits Zack in old age. He tells Zechariah that “His prayers have been heard and Elizabeth will bear him a son” (Luke 1:13). However, in disbelief, or rather, Playing God, Zack tells Gabriel, “How can I know this?” As a response, Gabriel tells Zechariah, “You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time” (Luke 1:19-20). 
I mention both Zechariah and Jonah to bring forth two examples of playing God. Both have relationships with God; both are called by God, and yet, both question God’s sovereignty. As Daryl Coley’s song, “Sovereign,” notes, “Who am I to question God’s wisdom? I must realize that my God is sovereign.” Yet, these two men, called and familiar with God, forgot this simple truth – that God is sovereign. A God all by himself. A God that can make anything possible, a God that can find you in your flight, a God that requires you to stay in a child’s place. What we can note about both Zechariah and Jonah is that despite their disobedience being the same, God needed to meet them directly where they were. God appoints a whale to house Jonah and silences Zechariah. Similar sins yet different consequences. An IEP that is designed to match their psychological and spiritual needs. 
Growing up, we often look at Jonah in the whale as a cruel, rock bottom. Who wants to be housed in a whale? But, God appointed the whale for Jonah. In our acts of disobedience, we often feel that the wars waged against us, are a coincidental punishment. They’re not. They are appointed – they are designed for us. Our rock bottoms are supposed to lead us back to God and remind us of the place, as His children, that we are to stay in. A place that doesn’t test or challenge Him. But, a place that teaches us obedience. As Jonah spent three days in the appointed whale, Jonah uses this time to offer praise to God. He settles in Jonah 2:9, that “I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving, I will fulfill what I have vowed. Salvation is from the Lord.” Zechariah follows the same pattern. Losing his privilege to speak is how God teaches Zechariah to never doubt nor question Him again. After following God’s instruction to name his child, John, the text says in Luke 1:67, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied.” 
However, something that Jonah continues to teach us is that our punishment or correction doesn't always convict us. Despite how much we wrestle with the lesson or believe we have learned our lesson, we still attempt to play or cheat God. Jonah's whale drops Jonah right off at Ninevah, where Jonah fulfills God's work. Yet, God decides to not punish the people of Ninevah. As such, Jonah throws a temper-tantrum. In Jonah 4:1-4, Jonah becomes greatly displeased and furious at God's mercy and compassion towards His people. Thus, offending God. It's almost like Jonah doesn't remember that with disobedience comes consequence. A rebellious teenager, still cleaning their room, to go out to a friend's house yet, forgetting to continuously clean their room unless to receive a reward.
And so, in Jonah 4:5-11, God appoints a plant and grows it to provide shade over Jonah. Jonah finds himself pleased with the plant. As Jonah slept, God appoints a worm to tackle the plant. Then, God appoints a scorching wind to wake Jonah up. In this exchange, Jonah and God converse about Jonah’s anger and frustration towards how God decided to manage the people of Ninevah. God uses the plant to tell Jonah, “You care about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow.” Closing the book of Jonah, God ends with, “Should I not care about the great city of Ninevah, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?” 
Zechariah and Jonah disobeyed God – in their running, in their frustration and in their disbelief. They both doubted His sovereignty. Yet, similar sins came with incomparable consequences. Imagine Jonah and Zack in Heaven like, “Well, I couldn’t speak for 9 months.” “Yeah, well, I was in the body of a whale for 3-days.” “My punishment was harsher!” Nah, buddy. Your wake-up call, your rock bottom, your whale, or your forced silence, is how God needs to reach YOU and only YOU! It is because YOU have a specific, psychological, and spiritual need that God needs to grow. Jonah didn’t need to be silenced because Jonah needed his voice to instruct the people of Ninevah. Instead, God appointed a whale, to both humble and journey Jonah right over to Ninevah. Likewise, Zechariah didn’t need to be shipped off into a whale to recognize God’s sovereignty. Instead, God silenced Zechariah so that he could no longer put his foot in his own mouth.
Somewhere, somehow, you are comparing your IEP to that of someone else’s. You are looking at your storm, your whale, your silence, and wondering, “Why me, God?” And I can bet that whatever your IEP is, it is a response to you attempting to “play” God. Whether that’s running away from your calling, hearing His voice but not practicing discernment, or, sitting in disbelief after your prayers are finally answered. Or like Jonah, it’s fulfilling God’s work but getting upset that you didn’t get your way.
If there’s nothing else you take from today, I hope you recognize that all things are appointed because He is Sovereign. No matter how well versed you are in Christianity, whether He calls you or you have a relationship with Him, the moment we begin to try and “play” God, He enacts an IEP to teach you who is in control. And like the purpose of the IEP, it doesn’t mean that you are slow or dumb, it just means He has to meet you exactly where you are.

Stay in a child’s place, y’all!
With love,
Brandi J. Wardlow

Facebook: Brandi Janay
Twitter/Instagram: @2BeeMrsRay




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