Does God have Super Powers? (A Faith Discussion With a 3-Year-Old)
Children have supernatural thoughts.
Having three sons is an adventure, to say the least. All three of them have been full of imagination and strong will. Here’s an account of when my oldest son was 3 years old and led us down an interesting discussion about God.
Posted on July 13th, 2011:
Yesterday was a great example of Jude’s imagination. It all started with a great conversation about who God is, which has been a common conversation these days. My wife went into our regular responses focusing on how God lives in heaven and that He created us and everything around us.
Things were going well, until Jude’s understanding of fact and fiction, within the realm of the unseen world got a little distorted.
- Nicole concluded her explanation of who God was.
- Jude looked at my wife with a serious face and said, “I’m Batman!“
- Trying to keep Jude focused, Nicole replied, “No, you’re not.“
- In just as serious of a face he swiftly retorted, “I’m a superhero!“
- Again, Nicole replied, “No, you’re not. You can pretend but you’re not really those people.“
- Without skipping a beat, Jude widened his gaze at his mother…and with a firm voice, he said…
“Look into my eyes and feel my powers!“
Oh no! What went wrong? Nothing; he’s a kid! The discussion is age-appropriate for a 3-year-old. In Jude’s mind, there was a link between Nicole describing God and his ability to have superpowers.
- Perhaps, Jude sees God as some superhero going around creating things with His superpowers.
- Perhaps, Jude just wants a piece of God’s power?
- Perhaps, we haven’t talked to him enough about the power we do have?
We have Jesus, and He has power!
Maybe this little conversation with Jude took place so that Nicole and I would think outside our normal instruction on faith. In hindsight, what we should have done, and likely will do, is bring Jesus into the picture! We can explain why we pray in Jesus’ name; that there’s a kind of superpower in the name of Jesus!
After all, when was the last time we truly acknowledged the power that the name of Jesus holds? Have we fallen into a state of ending prayers without fully understanding the superpower in which we speak? If so, this is a problem!
Consider the following passages.
Paul explains the power that the name of Jesus holds.
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11)
Check out Jesus’ teaching on prayer.
“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (Jn. 16:23-24)
As a parent, it can be tough to determine how far we allow our child’s imagination to travel. And yet, in a 3-year-old mind, where does imagination start and faith begin?
When Jesus rebuked His disciples we gain some insight into His heart for children.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Lk. 18:16b-17)
I can’t fully comprehend how Jude made the connection between figuring out who God is and becoming a superhero. In his mind, they match somewhere. What I do know, is that God has done and continues to do some amazing, supernatural things in our lives and the world around us.
Moving forward, Nicole and I will continue to work through Jude’s questions, even if they go south like in yesterday’s conversation. We’ll just be thankful that he’s asking any questions at all.
Where’s Jude now?
Jude gave his life to Jesus a few years later, then decided to be baptized a few years after that. He has a great understanding of who God is and serves faithfully in our church. He also has a bold faith with his friends outside the church, willing and able to unpack concepts of God and Jesus to anyone who might be interested. He has come a long way, all because of the power of Jesus!
Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts
- When was the last time you spent some time discussing God with a child?
- What came out of that discussion?
- How frequently do you discuss the supernatural power of Jesus?
Thanks for the encouragement and for the re-post! I’m always looking for guest posts…got anything that would be worth highlighting on my blog?