Like Children

While we were in Target, my son and I saw a lady who goes to our church…. well, used to apparently. I said “Hi” and asked if she was still attending Fellowship, since I hadn’t seen her there recently. She said that she was not going, and that she still needed to find a new church. Without missing a beat, Caleb says “why aren’t you allowed in Church?” She explained that it wasn’t that she wasn’t allowed in church, she just wasn’t going anymore. Caleb then asked her, “but why would you do that? You need to go, that’s how you learn about God.” She squeamishly agreed with him and said that she does need to work on finding a church. She then was in a much bigger hurry to get along with her shopping.

 

“and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” and Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” (Matt 21:16 NKJV)

 

There are two services at our church, so it was possible that she was just going to the other service. I honestly wasn’t trying to convict her, just trying to be friendly since I recognized the lady.  Turns out, when as an adult, I am too “politically correct” God uses the sincerity and honesty of my children to do my bidding. It is also a testament to what my sweet son is learning. I now can be sure that when he whines about going to church that he does know why we go to church and what he is learning there and why that is so important. 

 

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

 

Thank you Lord for your little glimpse of reassurance.

 

There is no great complication of things in the mind of a child. They don’t try to reason why sinning is okay, they know when they’ve been bad, and usually they cry about it. We adults usually talk ourselves into why not following God’s way for our lives is, “okay” because….X  Y or Z. We should humble ourselves to become more like children. We should mourn our bad decisions and behavior and ask for forgiveness. Maybe even give ourselves a "time out" to consider why we did what we did, and how we are going fix that behavior in the future.

 

“And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matt 18:3-5)

 

Reflection Question: How will you become more like a child today?