The Importance of Being Childlike (Not Childish!)

"Daddy, do you wanna play in my room? Let's play with my marble tower!" It's even better when you hear my son, Jaden, say this with his 4-year-old pronunciation and still-developing-vocabulary. (I won't even try to write it out phonetically!)

Jaden is SO excited about--well, pretty much everything! This can be a little tiring at times (smile)...but mostly it's invigorating! It does something really good inside me to see his smile, hear his laugh, and watch (and experience!) his excitement about playing with his toys, watching one of his favorite shows...or greeting me when I get home from the office. (Of course, that makes me feel really good but that's only a part of what's so wonderful about his zeal.)

Jesus said that unless we become like little children (with their simple faith/trust, excitement, curiousness, genuine character, innocence, eagerness to learn...and all the other good qualities children possess), we won't experience the Kingdom the way God intends. The greatest in God's kingdom are these children, Jesus goes on to say. (Matthew 18:2-4) With all the challenges, upsets, and tragedies of life, we grown-ups can become hardened, skeptical, jaded, prideful, resistant to input...and a lot of other things that are counter to God’s purposes for our lives!

Here’s an amazing fact: I learn so much about God’s heart and character by watching and spending time with my sons.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a staff farewell party for a couple of people who have been blessed and been a great blessing to so many people in our church family.). Camille Ruble was one of the staff people to whom we said goodbye. (It’s all good; not-too-distant wedding bells are ringing in her ears!)

In our staff farewells, two or three people are asked to honor the person leaving staff by sharing their thoughts about them and Scripture that captures something of who they are in the Lord. Yesterday's farewell was very moving. Because of the love contained in the words spoken, the deep relationships formed over the years, and the great life-transformations that have taken place as a result of those relationships, there were not a few tears shed in the room!

The words spoken were wonderful, poignant and true and had a powerful effect on the recipients. Still, they fell short of the impact made by a simple gift given to Camille: a photo/memory album consisting of artwork and pictures of one of the groups of kids (mostly pre-K) she has been caring for in this past season. Camille could barely look at it without being overcome with emotion and tears.

Why is this? Jesus also told His friends that whoever receives (welcomes, makes a place for, honors) a child, welcomes Jesus (and what is true of Him), too. (Mark 9:37) For Camille, words probably couldn't have captured all that she felt at that moment. The love she has extended to these children and the impact that she has made in their lives during these many months was returned to her in all in one moment. I'm guessing that she felt the affection and affirmation of God Himself when she looked at those cute little fingerprints and those precious faces captured on film.

That's a taste of what it means to be childlike. May we be overwhelmed by the love of our Father as we make room for the little ones to climb into His lap.