Bubble Wrap Faith

The other day, Kyle asked Daddy to play the ‘falling and jumping game’, which involves him standing on the narrow top of the radiator, Johann stood in front of him saying, “don’t fall” with a big smile and then Kyle falling and daddy catching him. Such a simple game always results in lots of laughing and giggling as the falling distance increases and the falling turns to jumping. However, today’s game was different.

This time Kyle brought some bubble wrap and neatly placed it on the floor below where he was falling and jumping from. “This is for when I fall,” was Kyle’s explanation for such bizarre behaviour. His logic was understandable. Bubble wrap keeps things safe when they are dropped, so surely it stands to reason that it would keep him safe when he falls. Obviously, such conclusions were flawed. The thin layer of bubble wrap wouldn’t protect him in a fall from such a height, and so Daddy stayed right by his side and they played their usual game instead.

Both Johann and I responded to Kyle’s attempt at self-protection with the words, “I think you have too much faith in the bubble wrap!” - a statement that got me to thinking about what I have faith in. What has protected me in the past? Am I believing it will protect me from much greater things in the future?

It’s so easy to look at the financial protection of savings or pension schemes and think that they’ll protect us in the future, yet the world economy is spiralling into an undisputed state of chaos. It’s easy to think that the education my son is receiving will set him up for life with a good career, yet education is dissolving and jobs are disappearing. It’s easy to think that our churches are a haven of rest in a restless world and yet they are being marginalised or liberalised beyond recognition. The list is endless but the truth remains... nothing is safe, faithful or trustworthy other than our Heavenly Father!

We can so easily look at the world around us and start laying down our own answers and protective measures. But such self-made efforts look as pitiful as those flimsy sheets of bubble wrap that Kyle thought would save him from harm. Not that they are wrong in themselves, but total faith in those things certainly detract from our faith in God and will lead us to harm.

The good news is that our ‘Heavenly Daddy’ will stay right by our side and will always be there to protect us. At one point in their game Kyle was adamant that he would be safe if he fell on to his bubble wrap, but Johann was able to persuade him that wasn’t true.

So this is the challenge: are we able to listen to our Heavenly Father when He says that what our faith has been placed in isn’t safe for us? Or will we continue with our own protections and then cry out when we fall?

Prayer: Father God, the world is in turmoil and all that seemed safe no longer is. Help me to let go of my own protections in life and solely rely upon You. You alone are safe, faithful and trustworthy. Guide me in my daily life so I can live a life of joy, abundance and safety in You. Amen.