Child of God

By Tyler Tankersley

Some of my favorite movies are the "Toy Story" films. In fact, if you ever sit down and watch "Toy Story 3" with me, just know that as the movie ends I will transform into a crying, blubbering mess. I don't know how they do it, but somehow Pixar has created seemingly simple movies about living toys, but the film's plots are actually about belonging, community and identity.

One of the aspects of the movies that always gets to me is whenever Woody the Cowboy or Buzz Lightyear need to be reminded of their purpose. Woody will lift up his shoe and look at the writing on the bottom of it. In blocky letters he finds there just one word: Andy. Whenever Woody sees that word he is reminded that he belongs to Andy and that he exists to help to love Andy.

In the New Testament letter known as 1 John, the writer is seeking to encourage the early Christians by reminding them that they are not mere humans, they are in fact something much, much more. He writes, "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are" (1 John 3:1).

If we took our role as a "child of God" seriously, how would that change the way we live? Maybe instead of seeking to find affirmation from other people, we could remember that we are a beloved child of God. Maybe rather than finding fulfillment in our idea of what our circumstances should look like, we could remember that we are a cherished child of God.

But, if you are like me, I do not live with that constant awareness and I sometimes need reminding. My son Owen is three years old. He is in the midst of a normal stage of life in which he has tantrums easily and frequently. However, at the end of a tantrum, after he has yelled or thrown something, he always comes up to Jessica or myself and says, "I need someone to snuggle me." I will pick him up, scoop him up in my arms, place his head on my chest, and stroke his hair. In that moment, I think, more than anything else, what Owen needs from his parents is to be reminded that even in his weaker moments, he still belongs to his mother and me. And our hope is that as he gets older that sense of belonging and identity will carry him through life's challenges and valleys.

Sisters and brothers, are you aware that you are a child of God? Shouldn't that change everything? In this moment, try to live with that awareness and watch how it shapes and molds you. Because of Jesus, we know that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Keep reminding yourself of that love. I hope you know that love.

Lift up your shoe and see whose name is written there.