I enjoy watching kids play games. Some of the same games I enjoyed as a child were the ones my children enjoyed. Now my grandkids play some of those same games. So I began to wonder if the games children play can teach us anything about Christianity.

Some people think Christianity is like playing Simon Says. You remember that game. The leader (Simon) tells you something to do and you must do it. Fail to do the right thing, or do the wrong thing, and you lose. That view of Christianity leads people to a life of fear. Did I do everything right? Did I fail to do something I should? That is a hard way to live because none of us will do everything perfectly. If we could do that, we would not need Jesus to start with.

Red Light, Green Light is not correct either. That is the game were the leader says “green light” and everyone moves toward the finish line. “Red light” and everyone stops. Move on the red light and you go back to the start. Christianity is not a series of rules that you must get right. God does not stand at the finish line waiting to catch you in a mistake and then send you back to the start. God wants you to get to the finish line. That is why he sent Jesus.

So what game reflects Christianity? Follow the Leader. God sent Jesus to lead us back to him. He is the way to get home to God. Walk in his steps, do what he does, do not go where he does not. Follow his steps. Follow him. We live in a hard world. And if you decide to follow Jesus, it will be a hostile world. God wants you to live life to the fullest. So he did not just send down a bunch of rules for you to follow. He does not want to make it hard for you to live a life of faith.

So he sent Jesus so you could see how to live. For Christians, follow the leader is not a game to play. It is a lifestyle to choose. If you would like to talk more about following Jesus, write me at steve@hopeforlife.org or join the blog discussion at www.hopeforlife.org.

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