From Barney to Cars

Today my 2 year old Connar woke up around 6:30 am, as he does from time to time without much rhyme or reason. Usually when he wakes up that early, we employ the services of Barney. Barney is about the only thing which will make this active little boy stay seated, or for that matter pay attention, for any length of time. And when you're 3/4's asleep already, it only makes sense to go the bullpen and call in the big "right-hander." The only problem with Barney is that he's a bit on the annoying side, and his songs stick in your head for a while. 

Since Amy used to teach kindergarten for a number of years, we both knew that Barney would eventually lose his coolness. Kids that age like something else. What they like, I don't know; but its not Barney.

Yet I still wondered how we could wean him off Barney and on to something a bit, well, cooler. Then we introduced Cars the movie. Now when he wakes up, or finishes his shower, Cars is all he wants to watch. He found something better than Barney, something far more joyful than Barney.

What Connar experienced is similar to what Thomas Chalmer's calls The expulsive power of a new affection. In order to get our eyes off our sin struggles (but I think the same is true when dealing with our present condition, circumstances, or predicament), we must see someone greater. Otherwise, how will we really change? That's why in every sermon at Redeemer our goal is to preach the person and work of Christ. 

When we fail to see Jesus as more glorious than our families, our jobs, our ambitions, our relationships, our wealth, we will get stuck in a world controlled by all of the above. In order to not be controlled by all of the above, we've got to take a page out of Connar's playbook. It's not quite as easy as putting on a video like Cars, but it takes every bit as much intentionality.

Intentionally listening to Christ being preached, intentionally reading more about how wonderful He is, intentionally comparing Him with what we hold dear, intentionally praying He would show Himself more beautiful, intentionally telling and hearing from others about Him. These are just a few of the many ways we can see Christ more beautiful, and be smitten by someone greater.

Instead of waking up to Barney, we can begin waking up to and longing for Cars.