Childlike

With five kids running around the house, I feel like I understand what "childlike" means. I think of something a child might do or how a child would act. For some, the term has a negative connotation.

I just finished reading the sermon transcript from last Sunday entitled, "Listen to the Children". Jesus made his triumphant ride into Jerusalem and there were many different kinds of praising going on. The group that Jesus affirmed in the passage was the children. They came before him with humble praise. Nothing empty or self-serving, simply because they loved Jesus. As a parent, I want nothing more "than to see my children walk in the truth", and to make sure they get it. I realize that, more often than not, they get it better than I do.

When Colin recently accepted Jesus as his savior he was so happy. We were driving home from the store and he informed that when he got home he was going to make a card for God that said "I love you". I chuckled at first thinking 'go ahead, buddy, but you can't really give it to Him'. How foolish I was to think that that CHILDLIKE idea wouldn't be seen by our great God. That's what He wants from us, isn't it? - adoration straight from our hearts.

This week Erin watched me put out the Easter decorations. Now, I don't get crazy with the commercialism of the Easter Bunny and stuff like that, but we do have a lot "egg" things that get put out. She informed me that she was going to draw some decorations to hang up. I have no problem with this as our home is covered with different pieces of artwork (and she is actually VERY good). So you know what now graces the wall by the back door? Not a picture of an egg or a bunny. No, we have Jesus hanging on the cross, blood spilling from his hands and side with the Roman soldiers standing watch. Talk about reminding us all what the day is about (I know the empty tomb is the final picture but you get the point). Won't this make for interesting conversation when our relatives who don't know Jesus come for dinner on Sunday. But Jesus is often the subject of her drawings. It amazes me that even though she is bombarded with pop-culture of today's "tweens" she is grounded enough to come back to what she believes. THANK YOU, LORD!! This is the same child who wants to bring her Bible to school for reading time and asks why I hesitated to let her. I am so concerned about what others will think of her or her being reprimanded for it that I start squashing that CHILDLIKE faith. Forgive me, Lord, for not stepping back and just allowing them to simply live for you.

Yesterday, Meredith was looking the above mentioned drawing and said, "look, Jesus died on the cross!" So, I figured we'd do all of the Sunday School kind of questions. And then what happened, Mere? Did he stay there? "No, he was alive again and then he could take my sins!" WOW!! Do you really understand it, little one? It is so simple and CHILDLIKE to you. Why do we make it so much harder?

Is being CHILDLIKE bad? I don't think so. In fact, I want to be CHILDLIKE, just like my kids are. Instead of telling them to listen to me, perhaps I need to be listening to them.