Again as a Child … ( 06 / 11 / 2012 )
Again as a Child … ( 06 / 11 / 2012 )
When I first read in the Bible Jesus encouraging us all to “ become again as a child ”, I really wondered about his sanity … I mean , I ’ ve worked with thousands and thousands of children over the years , and if there is one thing that is almost certain it is that most of the time children exude some pretty self-centered views on Love . For example :
“ My mother says to look for a man who is kind . That ’ s what I ’ ll do . I ’ ll find somebody who ’ s kinda tall and handsome .” ~ Carolyn , age 8
“ How do you get a boyfriend ? I shake my hips and hope for the best .” ~ Camille , age 9
“ How do you get a girlfriend ? I guess one way is to take the girl out to eat . Make sure it ’ s something she likes … French-fries usually work for me .” ~ Bart , age 9
“ Love will find you , even if you are trying to hide from it . I have been trying to hide from it since I was five , but the girls keep finding me .” ~ Bobby , age 8
Come to think of it , lots of adults I know are still advocating very similar beliefs — trying to find the Love “ they deserve ”, trying to find a partner who will “ love them as they are ”, even hiding from Love so they won ’ t get hurt again . They still worry far more about the Love they can get than they wonder about the Love they could be giving .
Of course , a little research will unveil that Jesus actually encouraged us to become as infants , not mere children , which makes a lot more sense . You see , infants know about LOVE … They see the world as continuously Wonder-full , they Forgive their trespassers on a dime , and they fully LOVE others “ all-IN ” — all three traits that I highly recommend adopting if you are interested in living a life of deepseated Joy & Peace & Meaning .
That having been said , just as some of us adults “ get it ” when it comes to Caring for others without condition , so do a few of the children in our midst … With that in mind , feel free to allow the deeper meanings of the following statements to inspire you to go forth and LOVE all-IN today as well :
“ Don ’ t say you Love somebody and then change your mind . Love isn ’ t like picking what movie you want to watch .” ~ Natalie , age 9
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