From time to time, I like to check in with my children to see how I’m doing as a parent. Recently, I called them together and asked, “What is something Mummy does that you don’t like? And what is something Mummy does that you like?”
They had many heartwarming things to say—along with one heartbreaking one. But let’s start with the heartwarming part.
One of my boys said, “Mummy, I like that you play with us.”
I wasn’t expecting that. It touched me in the most beautiful way. And here’s why.
To most people, I don’t come across as a playful person at first glance. In fact, I remember an experience from my university days. A brother from my fellowship once invited me out to Chitis, and I wondered why. During our conversation, he admitted he wanted to ask why I was always so serious.
So when my son told me he enjoys playing with me—despite what others may perceive—it truly warmed my heart. And it reminded me of God.
Many people see God based on what others have told them. To some, He is distant, harsh, and unapproachable. But when you have a personal relationship with Him, you begin to see His true nature.
This reminds me of an encounter we had during evangelism. We met a man who didn’t believe in Jesus. His argument was that God is whatever people make of Him. He used the well-known story of the blind men and the elephant:
“Once upon a time in a distant village, six blind men heard that a strange creature called an elephant had arrived. Eager to understand what it was, they set out to experience it for themselves.
When they reached the elephant, each man touched a different part of its body.
The first man, feeling the elephant’s side, exclaimed, “An elephant is like a great wall!”
The second man, grasping the tusk, argued, “No! An elephant is smooth and sharp, like a spear!”
The third man, holding the trunk, laughed, “You are both wrong! An elephant is like a giant snake, twisting and curling!”
The fourth man, touching a leg, shook his head, “Nonsense! An elephant is sturdy and strong like a tree!”
The fifth man, grabbing the ear, declared, “This creature is thin and flexible, like a large fan!”
The sixth man, tugging the tail, insisted, “You are all mistaken! The elephant is like a rope!”
A heated argument broke out, each man convinced of his own truth.”
I thank God for the wisdom to respond to him. Immediately, a scripture came to mind:
“God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.” — Hebrews 1:1-2
I used the same elephant story to explain: Suppose the elephant represents God, and these blind men symbolize people forming opinions about Him. But what if the elephant himself could speak and tell them who he truly is? Whose testimony would be more accurate—their assumptions or the elephant’s own words?
In the same way, God has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. He is not just an idea, or a mystery left for human speculation. He speaks, He reveals, and He desires a personal relationship with us.
And that, dear friend, is what I want to tell you today:
There is nothing as beautiful as knowing God personally. Nothing—absolutely nothing—compares to it.
As the year progresses, I encourage you to make it your goal to know Him intimately. There is no greater joy than experiencing God for yourself.