You Don’t Have to Act the Same Way

I know. I saw your brother push you. He did it right there by the train table. You were holding the train Mommy gave you that he calls, “Tia train,” your nickname, while he carries it everywhere.

I’ve haven’t yet been able to explain to a little, two year old boy how Tia train means it’s actually Tia’s (your) train. We’re working on that.

But I want to tell you, as your growing brain is processing everything about this world, that you don’t have to act the same way. It’s okay if you screech every now and then. Okay, I suppose, if you push back and Mommy laughs as Luke sits down with a thud and a funny look on his face.

But there’s another way to deal with this world. A couple pretty cool guys show you.

God had just caused the ground to swallow up Korah and his family and 250 leaders of Israel who’d rebelled against Moses and God, and then even after this miracle, unbelievably, the people complained and shouted at Moses for killing their friends. He could’ve pushed back. Could’ve wrenched that Tia train that was really his, God’s privilege to lead his people with honor, right back from their fingers.

God responded,

How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are! (Numbers 14.11-12)

But Moses responded differently from the people.

He fell on his face and begged God,

Please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt. (Numbers 14.19)

And this is what happened.

Then the Lord said, “I will pardon them as you have requested.” (Numbers 14.20)

Thousands of years later, a man hung on a tree. This time the Lord was silent. There were no threats to annihilate the people. Only a dark sky that brooded.

Earlier that day, false accusations were hurled at the man. The train, rightfully his, was questioned. Mocked.

But like Moses,

Jesus was silent and made no reply. Mark 14.61

The only one he would answer was, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” (Mark 14.61)

He said, “I am.”

Yes, this is my train, given to me by my Father who loves, who gave it to me to take our children home.

Later, as he hung on that tree, he said,

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke 23.34)

It was all he’d respond to his accusers. Those who ripped what was his right out of his fingers. And through that he saved the world.

Jesus, foreshadowed by Moses long ago.

And he says to you a funny thing. He asks you to come follow.

Pretty unlike the world. A whole lot like a God who loves you.

You could learn a lot from these two cool guys.

See, your love and your forgiveness is how God saves the world. You point, like Moses, to Jesus.

So be careful who you learn from, who you try to be like — whether those who act like the world and respond like they do — or those who know it’s their train and give it willingly to another out of love.

Moses gave his position no thought beyond how it made God look. Jesus, God of the world, thought only of you. And both said forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Those are pretty cool guys.

Daddy’s a pretty cool guy, too.