Spiritual Reflections on Barney

You know you’re a theologically-trained parent of a toddler when you start to reflect on the spiritual implications of “Barney.” 

 

Yes, I’m talking about the purple dinosaur.  Barney is a pretty popular entity in our house.  I’m beginning to suspect that the relational priorities in our son Davey Will’s life are as follows:

1) Mommy

2)  Barney

3) Daddy

 

I’m OK with that, though.  It’s when the three come together in the living room all at the same time that Davey Will seems the happiest.

 

So, anyway, it seems like I’m seeing a lot of this purple dinosaur lately.  And being inclined toward theological reflection, I just can’t help but think…

 

Barney’s actually pretty cool.  He teaches kids to have good manners, get along with each other, respect parents, be safe, have vivid imaginations – the whole bit.  So, I’m wondering if the purple dinosaur can serve as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  (Stay with me here.)  After all, Barney could be a shortened form of the name Barnabas, which Acts 4:36 tells us means “Son of Encouragement” (Greek, paraklesis).  Jesus Himself refers to the Holy Spirit as the Encourager (or Comforter, Greek parakletos).  And the Holy Spirit does empower ethical behavior, helps us to get along with each other, and is involved in artistic creation (see Exod 31:1-3).  So, there actually are some areas of congruence.

 

This isn’t to say that I’d ever make the connection in Davey Will’s mind between the imaginary Barney and the very real Holy Spirit.  But I can’t wait until my little guy can understand the reality of a Friend who is always with us whenever we need Him, helps us to get along with each other, and always teaches us the right way to live.

 

 

Children's Church

Church and kids mix together in very different ways here in Cambodia than they do in the U.S.

 

In the U.S., churches often have “nurseries” where kids are taken care of by well-trained staff, where there are lots of cool toys to play with, and where there are high-tech ways of calling the parents when the kids get too fussy.

 

Here in Cambodia, we have a solid wooden bed frame just outside the church building where parents sit with their kids (and hopefully the parents can coincidentally hear something of the service).  I usually just sit on a chair as part of the service while Sopheaktra stays on that bed frame with Davey Will.  But last week I sat with both of them, since the chairs were already pretty full by the time we arrived.  And, yes, the activity on that bed frame is pretty hectic, with it being very difficult to hear what’s going on in the service.  But it was cool to watch the kids play together.  Most kids bring some of their toys from home, and they generally wind up getting shared with any other kids who are at church that day.  Sometimes the kids get into minor conflicts, and the parents have to help them straighten it out, learn to share, and respond in appropriate ways.  Snacks are usually brought by parents to keep the kids happy, and those usually get shared, too.

 

Then it hit me.  What’s happening in the church service? Songs sung in praise to God, listening to the teaching of God’s word, etc.  Good stuff. But most “participants” don’t really participate; they’re pretty passive for most of the service.  Now, what’s happening with the kids outside?  Enjoying being together, learning how to resolve conflict with one another, sharing special possessions, and eating together.  I just had to wonder if the experience of the kids out on that wooden bed frame was as much a reflection of the New Testament picture of “church” as what was happening in the main service.  I suspect that it was.  Maybe even more so.