Vain Imaginations

  

   As an early childhood educator I take great pleasure in the seemingly small things of life. There is nothing more joyful to me than being blessed in a way that is able to engage in the shaping of a
child’s intellect, imagination, and character. Although I love all the aspects of my work, it is especially sweet to watch them interact socially through role play. With just a few pieces of clothing, and a little imagination, they take on new personas; alter egos; if you will, that serve to equip them to deal with life’s future challenges by creating play narratives that are based in both truth and fantasy alike.

   Now these imagination games are not only fun, but serve a distinct purpose in the life of the developing child. It is here, where they learn the give and takes of relationship, the art of both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication; it is a place, where they develop the skills they need to cope when they can’t get their way, it is where they learn respect for others.  

   In other words, pretend play, as fueled by their imagination,is not in vain, but is valuable.It serves a purpose within the context for which it is designed to function; in the role-play area. But, taken outside of that forum into the more rudimentary areas of basic education, this form of unbridled  imagination can undermine other areas of learning that require discipline, clear guidelines and a different set of tools.  Have you ever tried using a magic fairy wand to write your name? It’s not functional. It was not designed to work that way. It is a vain endeavor when taken out of context for which it as designed.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 Paul describes for us the ways in which we are to wage war against the culture of the world, using spiritual weapons in order to demolish strongholds. We are called to cast down arguments,vain imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

  It seems to me this gift of imagination that God has so graciously bestowed on us as his creation, has strayed away from the authority of His word that is necessary in order to ground our thinking in reason and truth.Without the harness of God’s word we are subject to believe any delusional idea our imaginations can dream up regardless of how implausible or contradictory against natural order it may be.

   A culture that is not grounded in truth, is a culture without boundaries. It believes that if an idea can be conceived by the human imagination it must therefore be plausible. I believe that virtual reality has become the primary tool of the “ god of this age.” It’s LCD lights have most certainly done a good job blinding those who do not believe; singeing their spiritual retinas through the images cast on their screens late at night when they think no one is looking. these lights, have served to cloud the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the very image of God that should be shining on them.  The virtual reality of today’s age has worked to unfetter the imaginations of both old and young alike, from the laws of truth and logic; principles,displayed by our creator most basically through natural order, (that is even still, being assaulted by those who profess to have enlightened minds). We have traded in the truth of God’s word and the zest for real life for images that lie. I’m afraid virtual games have become the cultures undoing to the healthy kind of pretend play and fantasy narratives that little children have most appropriately thrived on for centuries. So, perhaps it is time, for us to do a little healthy dress up of our own, by taking up the Apostle Paul’s advice as outlined in his letter to the Ephesians where he calls on the church to  “Put on the full armor of God so that in this day of evil we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes.”

*more verses to consider upon further evaluation of this topic:

1 Cor. 13:11 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man,  put away childish things”

Rom. 1:20-21 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

2 Cor. 4:4  “ The god of this age has blinded the minds of  unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

2 Cor. 11:13  “Satan’s servants are clever counterfeits of Christ’s signs and wonders and miracles.”

2 Cor. 10:5  “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”

1 John 4:1  “Do not believe every spirit but test spirits to see if they are from God.”