I love CBeebies – which is a British TV channel for young children. I’m always impressed by how talented the presenters and cast members are when they perform their annual ‘CBeebies presents…’ show. This year’s was Thumbelina. Nina-of-neurons fame is obviously terrific and did a lovely job.
I did feel sorry for Thumbelina though, because she spent most of the show telling people she didn’t know who she was. How terrifying for her.
I missed a bit – went off to cook the tea – and then saw the finale, which was a song:
“Thumbs up, you can be what you want to be…
I want to be free, I want to be me,
That’s what I’m gonna be.”
This is the doctrine of the young generation:
I can be whoever I want!
You can’t tell me who I am!
I’ll choose who I am!
And by the way… who am I?
After my children watched Thumbelina, we sat down to read the account of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary in Luke Chapter 1.
Imagine if Mary was a young girl now, and listened to the messages of the iGeneration:
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“I am nobody’s servant,” Mary answered. “I won’t let anybody push me around.”
And the famous Magnificat, the song of Mary, would have been more like this:
“My soul magnifies me.
And my spirit rejoices in me: I’m awesome.
From now on all generations will hear me roar!”
I know this is very silly, but just imagine it for a moment, because is is the attitude our children are being encouraged to have. If Mary had said this, she’d have missed out so badly! And she’d have been so wrong! She’d have lived and died in obscurity. Nobody would have heard her roar.
Our children shouldn’t expect an angel to visit them and tell them what their life will be all about. Instead we have God’s word, which gives us clear answers to questions about who we are and why we’re here. Praise God for that! None of us has to wander through life, wondering who we are.
The advent devotion we’re using said this:
The serpent’s lie says, “You won’t be happy unless you are in charge of your life.” (Here I added, “Thumbs up you can be what you want to be!”) The truth is, God is in charge and God is good. Mary did not demand her own way. She gladly gave herself to God. True happiness is ours when we give our lives to our good God.
And the following day read:
The truth is that God made us to love him and live for him… You were made for God… Our dreams are too small compared to God’s purpose for our life.
I’m not going to ban CBeebies, but by God’s grace I’ll try not to sell my children short by telling them they can be what they want to be. Praise God! He has given them, and us, an identity and a purpose. “No human mind has conceived – the things God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2v9.
Happy Christmas, friends. X
*In case you’re not British, or you’re a young whippersnapper, the title of this post refers to a song by the Spice Girls… ‘Who do you think you are?’
Mum in Zone One 