That’s Our Kenny

Recently, all of our family except Timmy went to see Kenny’s second grade program for school. (If you’ve been following this blog or FB author page lately, you will know why we chose to leave Timmy home with a babysitter.) We took our seats in the gym and waited for the program to start. Soon, the kids filed into the gym. “Look, there’s Kenny!” Ellie said.

Kenny didn’t see us right away, though he was obviously scanning the gym for us. When he saw us, his face lit up, and he smiled. Not a huge smile, just an “I’m really excited that you’re here, but I’ve gotta be cool” smile.

Once they stood in place on risers on the stage, the students sang several songs. I was proud of my son, of course. He looked great in his school uniform—handsome and way too grown up. I was also amused by him.

You see, Kenny is an enthusiastic kid. When he is excited about something, he participates wholeheartedly. And so it was that while the other students were standing quietly singing the songs, Kenny was busy doing accompanying hand motions, which he was making up on the spot.

It was obvious he was making them up, because no one else was doing any kind of motions at all. Everybody else just stood there doing the expected thing. Kenny, on the other hand, had to express his exuberance. “That’s our Kenny,” my husband and I agreed.

Here’s the point: in the Christian life, you and I are either all those other kids, or we’re Kenny.

Most of us are far too reserved when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. Instead of being crazy in love with Him, we settle for quietly appreciating Him from a distance. Instead of delighting in walking with Him, we do it out of a sense of duty.

Where’s our delight? Why do our emotions not get caught up in dancing with the Lover of our Souls? Why do we just stand there when we could instead be participating like crazy?

I’m talking about more than just whether or not your raise your hands during worship (both are fine) or whether you are an exuberant, outgoing person by nature. Even those of us who are naturally reserved can wholeheartedly delight in Jesus. What’s important is not the outward expression of that delight. God doesn’t care very much about that. What God cares about is what’s in our heart toward Him.

It’s possible that all those second graders were enjoying the program as much as Kenny was. God’s not any more pleased with Kenny than He is with any other student. He knows which students were participating wholeheartedly and which were only there because their parents made them go.

Likewise, He knows which of us Christians are participating enthusiastically because He can see into our hearts. He sees much deeper than however we do or don’t express our faith outwardly with physical gestures. He even sees deeper than however frequently we attend church services, read our Bibles, or give money to worthy causes.

None of those things matters a whit in comparison to what’s in our heart. That’s because God doesn’t need our service. He doesn’t even desire our service, if it comes from wrong motives. What He wants is our whole heart, and He will be content with nothing less.

How much of your heart does God have? How enthusiastically do you walk with Him?

If the answer isn’t good, go before Him right now, confess your sin, and ask Him to change your heart. Ask Him to help you dance in your soul with all your might before Him—whatever that may look like on the outside.

2 Samuel 6:14—And David danced before the LORD with all his might. (ESV)