On faith like a child
I decided to take a run today after school. I haven't run in a long time and don't usually choose to, but it was so lovely and warm outside today that it was hard not to want to just run carefree out there in that sunshine. That's what I wanted to be- carefree. I'd been feeling care-ful today. Full of cares. I could feel my stomach clenching at the end of the day and welcomed the energy that running takes and the deep breaths it forces my body to take.
I don't run very far. I am actually embarrassed to write here how far I usually can run before I decide to walk the rest of the way. Anyways, I happened to stop and walk a few mailboxes away from a little girl bent down with some paper and doing something in at the foot of her mailbox. As I was passing, she looked at my two friendly dogs and I could see it on her Face: pure delight and innocent curiosity.
I introduced my dogs to her and knelt down to talk with her. I asked her name and grade. Sophie in the fourth grade. Then I was struck by the thought that I wasn't sure how to introduce myself to her. Being around elementary kids all day I am usually called Mrs. Lilley. At the kids ministry at church, I am Mrs. Kim. Who I am to this sweet little girl on the side of the road? I am just a random passerbyer. I am just a simple dog owner. I am not a teacher in her eyes. She has no concept of my age. I didn't introduce myself. I was just me.
I watched her try to pet my dogs. Luna was quite skidded, but Sophie was persistent. I watched her. Her big freckles, crooked teeth, simple straight hair, nails with a little dirt under them.
I asked her what she was doing out by the mailbox and nodded to her things a few feet away. She looked shy and said, "Nothing." I am pretty sure she was sketching something. After a few minutes, the pups and I were on our way.
I rounded the corner and realized how sweet that moment was. I was just me. I was not defined by my profession, my marital status, my house, my belongs, my clothes, my religion.
It was also sweet to see the world for a moment through a child's eyes. There was such merriment, such wonder in her eyes as she pet my dogs- such a simple act. But that is what a child's life is- or should be at least- simple. They don't need to sketch mountains and rivers, they have weeds at the foot of a mailbox. They don't need houses, they have trees. They don't need make-up, they have mud and dirt. They don't need high heels, they run barefoot. They don't need showers or baths, they have little streams ankle deep. They don't need magazines, they have imagination. They don't need careers, they are professional explores, indians, cops and robbers, fairies and ballerinas. They don't need airplanes, they have the wonders of their own backyard. They don't need cars, their friends live across the street and two doors down. They don't need calculators, they count on fingers and toes. They don't need money, they trade with bubble gum and candy.
I kept walking and I saw it. The world. alive. bursting. delightful. merry. an adventure waiting to happen. Right here in my own neighborhood. Seen through the eyes of a child.
Then, I laughed at the sheer absurdity and beauty that God calls us to faith like a child. Doesn't He know? Know that we lose part of our wonder and imagination when we see it? See cancer, sickness, pain, loss, hurt, enemies, selfishness, bitterness, envy, death? Doesn't he know the dark cloud eventually comes and covers the sunshine? Doesn't he know we're just left in the shadows? Children can't possible be expected to keep that merriment and wonder when their mother walks out on them or their friends desert them or their father abuses them or their siblings ignore them?
Children grow up to be adults and instead of looking delighted as my dogs pass, they might give a polite nod or a congenial wave. Or even step it up to a smile and a "Hello. How are you?" Oh sure, they might pet my dogs, talk to me about the weather, or comment on how they see we've fixed up the house- it's not the same. I see it in their eyes. We lose the eyes of a child.
Can we lose the eyes of a child and gain faith like a child at the same time? Can that faith put the light back in our eyes, the merriment in our laugh, the float in our walk?
Yes, yes it can. I saw it today. I saw the world through the eyes of a child. With faith like a child.
Yes, there is sickness and pain, but He heals. Yes, there are broken homes, but He is the ultimate Daddy. Yes, there are unanswered questions, but He is the constant Listener. Yes, there are the loveless, but He is the abundant Lover. Yes, there are the unfaithful, but he is always Faithful.
Yes, there is death, but He is the Savior.
I am just me. He is just I AM.
I don't run very far. I am actually embarrassed to write here how far I usually can run before I decide to walk the rest of the way. Anyways, I happened to stop and walk a few mailboxes away from a little girl bent down with some paper and doing something in at the foot of her mailbox. As I was passing, she looked at my two friendly dogs and I could see it on her Face: pure delight and innocent curiosity.
I introduced my dogs to her and knelt down to talk with her. I asked her name and grade. Sophie in the fourth grade. Then I was struck by the thought that I wasn't sure how to introduce myself to her. Being around elementary kids all day I am usually called Mrs. Lilley. At the kids ministry at church, I am Mrs. Kim. Who I am to this sweet little girl on the side of the road? I am just a random passerbyer. I am just a simple dog owner. I am not a teacher in her eyes. She has no concept of my age. I didn't introduce myself. I was just me.
I watched her try to pet my dogs. Luna was quite skidded, but Sophie was persistent. I watched her. Her big freckles, crooked teeth, simple straight hair, nails with a little dirt under them.
I asked her what she was doing out by the mailbox and nodded to her things a few feet away. She looked shy and said, "Nothing." I am pretty sure she was sketching something. After a few minutes, the pups and I were on our way.
I rounded the corner and realized how sweet that moment was. I was just me. I was not defined by my profession, my marital status, my house, my belongs, my clothes, my religion.
It was also sweet to see the world for a moment through a child's eyes. There was such merriment, such wonder in her eyes as she pet my dogs- such a simple act. But that is what a child's life is- or should be at least- simple. They don't need to sketch mountains and rivers, they have weeds at the foot of a mailbox. They don't need houses, they have trees. They don't need make-up, they have mud and dirt. They don't need high heels, they run barefoot. They don't need showers or baths, they have little streams ankle deep. They don't need magazines, they have imagination. They don't need careers, they are professional explores, indians, cops and robbers, fairies and ballerinas. They don't need airplanes, they have the wonders of their own backyard. They don't need cars, their friends live across the street and two doors down. They don't need calculators, they count on fingers and toes. They don't need money, they trade with bubble gum and candy.
I kept walking and I saw it. The world. alive. bursting. delightful. merry. an adventure waiting to happen. Right here in my own neighborhood. Seen through the eyes of a child.
Then, I laughed at the sheer absurdity and beauty that God calls us to faith like a child. Doesn't He know? Know that we lose part of our wonder and imagination when we see it? See cancer, sickness, pain, loss, hurt, enemies, selfishness, bitterness, envy, death? Doesn't he know the dark cloud eventually comes and covers the sunshine? Doesn't he know we're just left in the shadows? Children can't possible be expected to keep that merriment and wonder when their mother walks out on them or their friends desert them or their father abuses them or their siblings ignore them?
Children grow up to be adults and instead of looking delighted as my dogs pass, they might give a polite nod or a congenial wave. Or even step it up to a smile and a "Hello. How are you?" Oh sure, they might pet my dogs, talk to me about the weather, or comment on how they see we've fixed up the house- it's not the same. I see it in their eyes. We lose the eyes of a child.
Can we lose the eyes of a child and gain faith like a child at the same time? Can that faith put the light back in our eyes, the merriment in our laugh, the float in our walk?
Yes, yes it can. I saw it today. I saw the world through the eyes of a child. With faith like a child.
Yes, there is sickness and pain, but He heals. Yes, there are broken homes, but He is the ultimate Daddy. Yes, there are unanswered questions, but He is the constant Listener. Yes, there are the loveless, but He is the abundant Lover. Yes, there are the unfaithful, but he is always Faithful.
Yes, there is death, but He is the Savior.
I am just me. He is just I AM.
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