Does Satan Pick His Nose?

3 John 4 – I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

In high school, I got a sense that my calling in life was to raise children to know, love, and follow God. When I worked in the school system, and before I had children of my own, I realized that the children in that calling didn’t have to be my own biological children, but could be any child with whom I had contact. I couldn’t bring up the subject of God with the children at school, but I could impact them with God’s love.

With my own children, it’s a different story. I can talk about God and having a relationship with Jesus all day long. We can discuss Him at any time of the day, in any school subject – no matter what we’re doing, God can be remembered. This is so important to me, that God not be confined to specific times or activities in our lives but that He is intentionally invited into it all. When the children bring Him up instead of me, my heart swells.

I remember once, when we were walking around the neighborhood with some friends, my daughter asked, “Does Satan pick his nose?” She must have been three or four years old at the time, but I loved that she was thinking about spiritual things – well, at least in a way… Or the time, around the same age, when she told us that she knew she had Jesus in her heart. When asked how she knew, she said, “Because He talks to me and you [Mama and Daddy] can’t hear it.”

I have had even greater joy recently. My son accepted Christ as his Savior and I can see the influence it is having on him. I see greater grief over his sins. He treasures his new Bible. He wants a Bible verse written on his birthday party invitation. My daughter accepted Christ about a year and a half ago. She has already read through the whole Bible. Both kids do nightly devotionals on their own (or shared between the two of them) – by their own will, not because we require it. At least five mornings a week (during the school year at least), the kids and I have a Bible and devotional time. Sometimes it lasts 20 minutes and we just read our passages. Sometimes it lasts over an hour because of the discussion that ensues. Sometimes you hear bits and pieces of the message brought up throughout our daily activities.

Another neat thing has been that, when our family switched service times at church and started bringing our children with us every Sunday, my daughter started taking notes on the sermon. Some days, she doodles in her notebook more than taking notes. Other days, she writes at a feverish rate. The best part? Both kids will bring up the sermon points at other times in our week, or beyond that even!

Something heard from the kids at least weekly in our house right now is some version of this: “Are you feeling stressed? Are you worried or anxious about something? Have I got a sermon for you! I remember it as if it was _______ ago!” (Here, they insert the length of time since the sermon – now up to two months. Thank you to Cody Fisher, our favorite local magician, for the wording and oft-included sound effect at this point in the discourse). “We were in the gym at First Baptist Church. Bob Sheffield was preaching…” This has brought so many laughs, but the thing is – the sermon made such an impact on them that they remember it as one to which to refer. (http://www.fbcrr.org/sermons/you-asked-for-it-questions-about-anxiety)

Then there was Pastor Jared Allen’s sermon about taking the Lord’s name in vain. After a tour of the Williamson County Courthouse and participation in a mock trial, Daughter brought up a question about the oath, because of the promise being made “so help me God.” That was the beginning of a good discussion. (http://www.fbcrr.org/sermons/you-asked-for-it-questions-about-taking-the-lords-name-in-vain)

Then, this past Sunday, Jared Allen and Chris Johnson tag-team preached about loving our neighbors. On Tuesday, one of our morning devotions was about being a light in the darkness of this world and praying for our neighbors and friends. Since it was Halloween and we don’t do scary, but some of our friends and neighbors do, we talked about showing love and kindness to others even when we have a different view about something. That’s when Daughter brought up the sermon, about everyone being lovable and having worth in some way – that we should believe that and act that way. Even if we disagree, that doesn’t remove anyone’s worth. We need to look for the good in every person. This, of course, comes from my child whom I always say is good at loving the imperfect. (For example on a non-human level, she adopts stuffed animals with crooked noses and loves what we call “bed-head” guinea pigs.) (http://www.fbcrr.org/sermons/?category=Love+Where+You+Live)

I find the verse at the top of this post to resound often in my head these days, that I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (3 John 4)

So, back to the title question: Does Satan pick his nose?

What would your answer be?