I had the privilege of learning God’s Word from a master teacher. He was like a father to his students because he taught us so much and genuinely cared about our well-being. He had a saying, “A lot of things, kids”, which I have remembered often over the years. I’m sure that most of his students remember this saying and it means something different to each of us. But this is what it means to me…
When I remember my teacher saying this, I hear him saying it with a sigh. Not a sigh of discouragement or anxiety, but a sigh of hopeful contemplation. He spoke from the wisdom of his age and experience, which none of us students had yet. And he spoke from his knowledge of the Bible, which we were just beginning to learn.
Looking at things with hopeful contemplation allows us to see them for what they really are. When we take the time to thoughtfully consider something in the context of what the Bible says about it, the pure light of God’s Word reveals it clearly. We are not duped by circumstances or confused by situations because we see them plainly through that light.
Picture yourself walking around your house in the dark. Even in that familiar environment, you may be fooled by your surroundings. You might trip over something you can’t see, or wrongly identify a shadow. But if you turn on the lights, all becomes clear. The things that were hidden in the shadows are now openly visible.
God’s Word lights our paths with unmistakable clarity. And when we have that clarity, we can be hopeful. A lot of things happen in life that are not positive. Some are downright awful. But we can contemplate those things in the light of God’s Word and expect God’s solution, which allows us to remain hopeful.
“A lot of things, kids” is a reminder that life is full of experiences, opportunities, challenges, and learning. Can you list every experience that you’ve had since birth? Of course not! There have been millions of them. But reflecting on memories of what we’re learned can help us manage in the present and prepare for the future. When we remember the opportunities that we’ve had, it boosts our confidence that we can have more of them. And reminding ourselves of past triumphs, encourages us to believe that we can do it again. All of this is learning. And learning is an exciting adventure.
I have gained a modicum of wisdom from my age and experience, and I have learned a bit of the Bible over the years. There have been good times in my life and bad times. There have been successes and failures. There have been times of laughter and times of tears. But all of these things and more have been woven together to become the life that I have now, and it’s a good life. Not only am I a son of God, but also, I’ve been taught God’s Word, rightly divided. I have a wonderful family. I have terrific friends. I belong to a fantastic fellowship of believers. And that’s a lot of things! What more could the heart look for?
Sometimes, I wonder what God ever saw in me to call me to be His son. I was a screw-up from way back! I was full of fear, doubt and worries. I had the self-esteem of a garden slug. But God saw past all of that and picked me anyway. He gave His only begotten son for me and everyone like me! My teacher said once, “God is so good to me, I sometimes wonder if He’s mixed me up with someone else.” He said that with tongue-in-check candor, but it expressed his humility and gratitude well. And it reminded me that God loves me too. For that I am thankful.
Finally, I hear the caring compassion of a parent in my teacher saying, “A lot of things, kids”. Regardless of our ages, he called us all “kids”. And I think he meant it. As parents, we always want the best for our children. We take the responsibility of parenthood seriously. Our hearts yearn to train up our children according to God’s Word and to do whatever we can to secure their happiness and well-being. Their successes are our successes. And in the difficult times, their tears are our tears. God is our Father, and He treats us as His beloved children. We are to imitate Him. God is our #1 example of parenting; and He is full of compassion and extraordinary kindness.
For me, “A lot of things, kids” is a fond memory of my teacher. It is also an inspiration for me to appreciate all the things that have transpired in my life to bring me to this day and time. It reminds me to be thankful to my Heavenly Father for everything that He has done, is doing and shall do for me. It is my prayer that you may find similar inspiration in this simple saying, “A lot of things, kids”.
Note to my readers: “God bless. I love you. You are the best.” Thanks for reading!