Plain Fact

My four-year-old, Jacob, and I were talking about buying Jennifer a Christmas present and I asked him what he thought his mom would like. He first said that she likes food and we should get her some food. (He also suggested we get this for his eye doctor since "Dr. Tony helps us so much.")
“Mom does like food,” I agreed. “What other things does she like?”
“She likes me,” Jacob said.
I agreed again and said, “But you already are a gift to us.”
In a very matter-of-fact tone he said, “Yes, I am. God sent me and I’m a present and everyone thinks I’m cute.”
I laughed a little and he said, “What’s so funny?”
Jacob wasn’t being conceited when he stated that everyone thinks he’s cute. Many times when we are around other people, he often hears them say that he is so cute. From his standpoint, it is just the truth. It is a plain fact that he has learned because so many people around him have reinforced it. What we may mistake for conceit is simply Jacob making a plain and true statement. We may think that God is conceited when He states that He is worthy to be worshiped and praised. We may think it is conceit when God says He should be at the center of our lives. But the fact is that it is true and just like Jacob, God is not trying to talk it up to make Him feel better about Himself. He is simply sharing the facts and it is therefore not conceit or vanity. Maybe this is why Jesus tells us to become like a child (not childish) so that we can recognize truth and trust it. As Jacob’s parent, I can attest that he is pretty darn cute. As an adopted son of God and as a parent that watches God work through Jacob, I can attest that our Father in heaven is worthy to be worshiped and praised.