Let the Children Lead
Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.
- Mark 10:14-15
One of my favorite stories is about two little boys - a newborn and his 3-year-old brother. The parents bring the newborn home, set him in his crib, and the big brother says, "I need to talk to my brother." The parents say, "Go ahead." The boy insists, "I need to this alone." So the parents leave the door cracked open as the boy goes into the nursery, presses his cheeks against the crib and says, "Quick! Quick! You have to tell me where you came from because I'm starting to forget!"
In many ways, I think children are a little closer to God than adults.
They're like blank canvases. They haven't been painted on by the world - not yet told who or what or how they should be. They just are - just as God created them.
That's why children make some of our best teachers.
Jesus told his followers, "whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." He points to the children and says, Follow them. They get it. They'll show you how to be. Even the prophet Isaiah says, "A little child shall lead them."
I've spent some time this week considering the ways children have led me and what lessons they have taught me:
how to look at things with awe and wonder
how to love with a whole heart
how to look at someone without judgment or any kind of pre-conceived notion
how to imagine, dream, and believe
how to be vulnerable; to ask for what I need
how to depend on someone without feeling like a burden
to cry when I'm sad -to admit when I'm afraid
to laugh with abandon.
that it's okay to pray for things we might think are trivial
to ask questions
that it's okay to be a beginner
how to be brave when trying new things and making friends.
Children have taught me how to approach life with wide eyes and open hearts, with curiosity and wonder, with hope and excitement, and a whole lot of love.
This week, I encourage you to think about the lessons you have learned from children. What have they taught you? Maybe write it down. Then impliment those lessons!
I also encourage you to find a photo of yourself as a child. What can that child teach you? What did that child do for fun? So often when things in life get chaotic and heavy, we lose sight of that child within us. Try to remember one or two things that you LOVED to do as a child - maybe you loved to play in the dirt, or you liked to play dress-up, or you loved to draw, build things, or dance around the house in your socks. Once you remember what you loved to do, my invitation to you is to do one or two of those things.
Have fun! God shows up in unexpected ways; this week look for wisdom from the young. Write down what children have taught you, and what the child within you can teach you, and then take time to PLAY! Follow the lead of the children, and you might just stumble upon God along the way.
