Children have a way of making the simplest moments feel special. The smallest things can make their day. As adults, we stress over schedules, finances, health, the dog’s vet appointment, and an endless to-do list. Children remind us of something Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 18:3)
What makes children to special in God’s eyes? For starters, they trust easily. When you tell your child, “God loves you,” they believe it – there is no deep theological debates. They also live in the moment. They do not worry about tomorrow’s business meeting or last week’s mistake. They are too busy marvelling at a butterfly in the park or laughing at the dog chasing its tail.
And they are filled with joy. They do not need big reasons to celebrate. A balloon, a puddle, or a cookie can give them pure delight. Meanwhile, we grownups need an entire vacation to unwind. Perhaps we overcomplicated things.
Jesus did not want us to be childish, but childlike – full of wonder, trust, and joy. As we grow up, we seem to lose them along the way. The next time you get stuck in traffic or buried in emails, take a lesson from the little ones. They might just be onto something heavenly.
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