Have you ever had the opportunity to spend time with a child? Perhaps you have kids of your own or maybe you've been blessed with nieces, nephews, younger siblings, or kids you babysit. I have the blessing of getting to babysit and to help with babies at my church. The more I spend time with children, the more I see how there is so much we can learn from them.
I was thinking yesterday about how much we change in our personalities as we get older. I listen to toddlers and see how they are so interested in learning more about other people. They're curious to know about you. I loved the little girl who asked me all sorts of questions from who my mommy and daddy were to if I like chihuahuas. She showed me such kindness and made me think about what a true friend should model in their character. One of the little boys I babysit so badly just wants me to interact with him and play "army man" and "pirates" and "legos". He wants me to be a part of his life and just spend time with him.
I think about the kindness of these precious kids, and then I realize that often times our toddler mentalities change (and in some ways they have to) but perhaps some of them we need to relearn all over again.
When I read through the Bible, God has so much to say about children, and I realize just how precious they are to Him.
Josiah was only eight years old when he became king. It says that, "He did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right." 2 Kings 22:2. Even at such a young age, God used Josiah in a huge way.
When Paul wrote to Timothy he said, "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." 1 Timothy 4:12.
I see how God truly has a heart for kids, and although He doesn't want us to be childish, He does call us to come to Him as a child.
Children can teach us so much if we would take the time to pay attention and listen.
Just as sweet David comes and sits on my lap, we can go to God, climb up in his lap, and simply spend time with our Heavenly Father.
Just like the little girl who asked me one question after another, we can go to God and ask Him anything. He has all the answers. We can also ask Him about Himself and get to know Who He is.
We can go to God with full trust, just as children come to us and trust us to take care of them and protect them.
We can be real with God. David made me laugh so much when we were playing army men and I asked, "Can I ever win?" and his response was, "No, I'm supposed to win. I'm four."
God isn't looking for someone to come to him with their long list of accomplishments. He is looking for someone to come to Him as a child, be completely real with Him, fall into His arms, and find that in His arms is where home really is. He wants us to come to Him and share our greatest excitements with Him. He wants us to curl up next to Him in the storms of life just as children curl up next to us when there is a storm that frightens them. He wants us to have faith that He loves us and will take care of us just as children come to us having faith that we will keep them safe.
A child doesn't go to a parent because they think they've earned their parent's love. They go to their parent knowing that they are loved because they are their child. God doesn't love us because we deserve it. He loves us because we are His children. He makes us worthy, and He is longing for us to come to Him. He will walk with us through our best days and our worst ones. He will accept us no matter what we've ever done in life. All He wants is for us to come to Him as a child.
Dear Heavenly Father,
You've been showing me how I need to come to You as a child. It's been amazing to me the things You've taught me through children. Lord, You've show me that I can come to You and climb up into Your lap just as the children come up to me and crawl into my arms. Lord, there is a trust that children have. There is a curiosity that they have where they're eager to learn about different things and people themselves. Help me not to be childish, but to be child-like. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.
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