As I sat watching 51 lovely children practicing a song to sing on stage for their parents, I was delighted with their passion and complete abandon. Their faces were lit with the joy of learning a new song and the sign language that went along with it.
This isn’t the first time I have marveled at the beauty and innocence of childhood. Oftentimes in the past I have thought of the admonition that we adults must be like children to enter the kingdom of heaven.
What? To just let go and sing as if no one is watching or as if no one will notice my mistakes? Makes me wonder, “what does my Heavenly Father think when I worship and sing with abandon?” Could it be that he is as delighted as I am watching those precious little faces shining with joy?
I work in a daycare and another mystery of childhood comes to mind. Children are so quick to love and forgive. It tickles me to see kids bickering one minute with claims of “you’re not my friend” or “you can’t come to my birthday party” and then the next minute they act as if nothing happened.
I’ve observed that the younger (more innocent) the child, the quicker they are to make up. The 3 year olds say I’m sorry, hug and that’s it! It is over! Sadly, the 5 year olds seem to take a little more time. They are already starting to lose some of that innocence.
I suppose it is impossible to go through life without getting angry with your spouse, friend, sister, parent … However, if we are truly childlike we will be quick to say “I’m sorry (and mean it), hug and get back to the business of being friends.
There are so many wonderful traits in children that we would be wise to copy. Though kids are in a hurry to grow up, maybe it’s us that should be trying harder to be like kids. Jesus thought so.