I don’t know about you, but I need a bit of a lighter devotional since the last three days have been a bit hard hitting. So, let’s sit back and let me take your minds back to easier, simpler, and memorable days. Think about when you were little, or your kids were little. My guess is that most who are reading this owned one of the most iconic “toys” of the past century.
Sixteen-year-old Antonio Pasin immigrated to the USA from Italy in 1914. A woodworker by trade, “Antonio started to design and build handmade furniture, as well as wooden tricycles and wagons for children. Antonio’s first line of wooden wagons sold as quickly as he could build them. He called his creation the Liberty Coaster.”1 This was in honor of the Statue of Liberty.
Demand for the Liberty Coaster exceeded expectations! In 1927, Pasin started to mass produce his wagons out of stamped steel. “At around that time, the red wagons sold for slightly less than $3.”2 The company rebranded as Radio Steel & Manufacturing and in honor of Charles Lindbergh’s solo, non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, the Liberty Coaster was renamed the Radio Flyer. As of August 2023, over 100 million Radio Flyer wagons have been sold.3
There’s nothing quite as pure and wholesome as watching some little kid pulling their red wagon down the street, loaded with their prize treasures and imagination. Some little entrepreneurs might be carting their lemonade stand, trying to sell a cup and raise some money. When you see it, you can’t help but smile! A lot can be accomplished with that little wagon and even the parents have commandeered the wagons for an afternoon of gardening or yard work.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everything could be simple and carefree? Well, that’s not reality, folks! And we all know it. But there is good news for the Christian. The life we live in Jesus IS the simple life. And it’s certainly the GOOD life!
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11:1-3, “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. (2) For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
Thayer’s Greek Dictionary defines simplicity as: 1) singleness, simplicity, sincerity, mental honesty; 1a) the virtue of one who is free from pretence and hypocrisy; 2) not self seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by generosity. This is a good definition of a little child, isn’t it?
Yes, trial and troubles are going to bombard the Christian. We know that and it is inescapable. Yet, the life we live in Jesus really isn’t complicated and complex. It’s a life that is to be filled with love, joy, and peace. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
The Psalmist says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” (Psalms 16:9). We are also told to “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Psalms 37:7)
I hope you can say that you are enjoying the simple and good life today.
1https://www.radioflyer.com/radio-flyer-history
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Flyer
3https://www.retaildive.com/news/radio-flyer-first-store-chicago/690739/
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for any purposes.