Guest Blog - Toys

I would like to introduce a guest bloggist, my good friend and brother in the Lord, Dan. He has written a great piece on toys. He would be glad to hear from anyone and would like to see your comments on his essay.

TOYS

We began getting toys about as soon as we took our first breaths. From the womb to the tomb, we have been involved with toys. Safe to say our parents were delighted with the giggles and other sounds toys seem to encourage from us. As we grew, so did the desire for toys. Few of can not recall the excitement most of us had as we anticipated the arrival of more toys for Christmas or for a birthday celebration. They were expected. Getting older didn’t mean no toys at all but more expensive and larger. Having toys seems to be a modern day necessity. Whether young or old, male or female, westerners appear to have a place in their lives for toys. It may be hard to nail down how other peoples and cultures view toys but for us, they tend to be a big deal.

What is meant by: toy? It seems fair enough to define the word by saying a toy is something a person possesses by which or through which pleasure or excitement is gained but which is not necessary for survival. For adults, toys come in various packages, shapes and costs. Where does a person start when considering a list of toys in today’s adult world? Pleasure vehicles of sundry sorts come to mind, like: speed boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles (not used for getting to and from work), airplanes, skies, mountain bikes. There are hobbies (which are like toys in that they consume time and money) which attract many people, like: collecting beer cans, pasting things in a scrapbook, amateur radio[1], old cars, sky diving, model railroad building, even cooking, keeping track of sports events, watching the skies, collecting stamps or coins or old magazines or books, painting landscapes, etc. There are many others which could be added to such a list. The point is that there are many things and activities which seem to draw our attention, our money and our energies. ..and these can be viewed as toys or toy related programs. They are things we enjoy using and or do through much of our lives.

Consider the broad category of entertainment. These are so often events we see on TV but can also include those events to which a person would have to travel to participate. Here it would include ‘spectator sports,’ or, more precisely, professional sports. People often drive; even fly great distances to see their favorite football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, swimming, and tennis and volleyball squad face competition. Many of these activities occur on Sunday. Die hard fans are likely to miss church in order to attend exciting games.

Perhaps the question to be asked: are these things evil? Not necessarily but they do require a person to consider their importance. At the end of things, it may be a question of balance in a person’s life. If a person would place all these toys and related items on a scale with things of the Church on the other end of the scale, we know the general bent of things. The things of the world would most likely reveal much more attention. This doesn’t mean the things of the world are evil and to be avoided. Such a measure of balance would show that something is out of whack. How these things are viewed is a reflection of how believers view their relationship with God.

About the only Biblical reference to things like toys is in the New Testament. “When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” (I Cor. 13:11) This is in the so called “love” chapter of the N.T. It is fair to assume toys would also have been set aside. One might ponder, at what point did Paul (known earlier as Saul) become a man. In the context of this entire 13th chapter, the intent seems to be toward a maturation of a person, moving away from non-essentials to a more “grown up” life. This being the case, it can be assumed that Paul became a man, not at 21 years of age as we may think in today’s world, but later. Perhaps becoming a man was not tied to a person’s age but to becoming more mature, especially in things relating to God. One who studies Paul’s life would probably conclude that his turning from childish things to mature things began when he met Christ on the road to Damascus. Maturation is related to the ‘new life’ or ‘new birth’ a person finds in the new relationship a person has with God through the salvation purchased by Jesus Christ. By the time of this Damascus Road event, Paul must have been some years advanced from his 20s as he was busy in the persecution of early church members, not a task usually given to a teen. At the time, Paul must have considered himself a ‘man,’ but when he became a new person in Christ, he realized how far he had been from the mark of true maturation. There was a change in his mind and attitude, in his purpose for living, in what he came to see as more important than all the things he had held as precious as a younger person, as a child.

This verse not only gives a glimpse into Paul’s life and attitude but, being scripture, is an admonition for other believers to consider in their Christian walk.

It may be unfair to ascribe toys as being part of Christ’s life as a youngster. We have little record of those some 30 years. It seems likely, however, that he must have some toys common among youngsters in his neighborhood. Surely nothing like the toys boys and girls have today but we might catch a glimpse of how it may have been when we view children today in the 3rd world. We know how pleased they become when given a shoe box at Christmas time from Operation Christmas Child.

It’s been said by many people, that God has created us in such a way that there is within a hole that only He can fill. We try to fill this hole with many things, with many events, perhaps with many ungodly relationships. All these may seem to be the answer at the time but their ability to satisfy is short lived. To be sure there is nothing inherently wrong or evil about the things discussed here; it largely comes down to matters of balance and what we decide is important in our lives at a particular time.

Someone once said that our lives will soon be past; only what is done for Christ lasts. Maybe this is what our focus should be when it comes to the toys of life, being careful that we put first things first.

Dan Schobert
August 24, 2008
Plover, Wisconsin 54467

W9MFG@Charter.net

[1] This is my hobby, licensed in 1956.