The Gospel of Pooh – Part 1

(That’s Winnie the Pooh before you ask.)

In our latest blog post, Arthur Goode shares on the simplicity of the Gospel, drawing lessons from the popular children’s classic Winnie the Pooh

This deals with our ability to be like children in receiving certain truths about life, the universe and everything. Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

So what do you think Jesus was saying here? Elsewhere the Bible talks about putting away childish ways, and growing in maturity. Surely we need to grow up in order to understand things better?

What was it about children that Jesus was trying to draw to our attention?

This is where Pooh can help.

As you may know, Pooh is a bear of small brain. He comes at life with a certain simplicity, and lives in the present. He is able to take things at face value, and is also able to hold complex ideas in tension, unresolved, without feeling the need to sort it all out.

These are all very helpful postures to hold when engaging with the world around us.

We can contrast it with 2 other characters in 100 Acres Wood, which are types – representing different sorts of people we might come across in life.

First of all Rabbit. If it were cleverness that counted most then Rabbit would be sorted. But that isn’t always the way it works is it?

Where does Rabbit’s cleverness get him?

And if it isn’t cleverness we are after, how about wisdom? Owl is very wise.

But what sort of wisdom are we talking about here? The wisdom of Pooh is more about being, finding joy in things and accepting where people are at – a childlike wisdom that doesn’t need a label or title – it just is.

The wisdom of Owl is the wisdom which strives to both find understanding of the world around us and also share it generously with those around us. It is the sort of wisdom that finds pride in having the answers and fears having to shrug and say those magic 3 words; ‘I don’t know.’

To such an extent that if the answer isn’t known then one is made up on the spot. Not having an answer is seen as a weakness and produces anxiety.

Both the wisdom of the world and the intelligence of the knowledgeable don’t necessarily help you quite as much as you might expect them to. I mean for sure they are valued and esteemed in the world, and there is an external pressure to conform to those values, but do they really deliver what they promise?

In 100 Acres Wood Rabbit is esteemed for everything he knows, and Owl is the one people seek for answers. We want to appear intelligent and wise don’t we? And isn’t it nice when people turn to you and want to know what you think?

But what if we don’t have the answers? And what if we did have them but it isn’t the best thing for that person to hear them? Perhaps God wants them to go through that journey rather than have a quick fix. Or maybe they need to find their own answers.

In the bible, someone who did have all the answers was the very person who rarely gave them. Jesus. Have a look for yourself – Jesus asked 307 questions, and was asked 108 questions, 8 of which he answered (only 3 of which he answered directly).

He was content to allow a large crowd of 5,000 to diminish to a small group of committed followers, because he didn’t impress them with his teachings, or his wisdom and knowledge.

How secure are you not to have all the answers? Or to withhold your immense wisdom and understanding and to disappoint people in the process?

Winnie the Pooh didn’t seem overly bothered at being seen as wise or intelligent.

There is an internal and an external pressure to be wise and intelligent, both of which operate against the work of grace in your life.

To resist this pressure and be yourself takes courage. Or a certain Pooh-like quality.

And here ends part 1 of the Gospel of Pooh.

Arthur Goode moved down to Plymouth with his family in 2003 to start the Plymouth Vineyard Church, which he still leads today with his wife Sarah. Having studied politics at Southampton he used to teach in primary education but now his time is spent running the church, writing and being Chaplain for Plymouth Argyle Football Club. To relax he enjoys pottering around his garden growing things, and hanging out with friends. (Read more)