He is our Father

Earlier this year Iddo was playing “Primary” with Shimri and Shimei and teaching them Sharing time. She asked them “Why do you think it is special to Jesus that we are his children?”

Our kids frequently switch the subject and object of sentences, making for some funny quotes, but this one was a good one to ponder. We often only ask why it’s special to us that we’re children of God. But what does it mean to God that we are his children?

Later that night I saw a quote from the First Presidency when President Heber J. Grant was president that said “Motherhood is near to divinity” (“Message of the First Presidency,” Deseret News Weekly Church Edition, October 1942, p. 5.). And I wondered how many times God got spit-up on that day and how many times he had to change a poopy diaper that day because that’s my motherhood right now. Of course God didn’t actually get spit-up on and didn’t actually change poopy diapers, but “inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40). And of course sometimes we figuratively do those things.

Which made me think of the painting of “Jesus and the Angry Babies” by Brian Kershisnik. We are God’s children. So that means He takes us when we’re having a tantrum and holds us on His lap and sings to us our special song until we’ve calmed down. That means He gets up with us in the middle of the night when we throw up and helps us change our sheets and get on new pjs. That means He stays up at night worried about how we’re going to make friends and what He can do to help protect us from the bad that is out there.

Looking at the “child of God” relationship from His point of view made it more special for me. We are more special to Heavenly Father than we can even imagine, because we are His children. I’m thankful my children are helping me to see that.