Childlike-ness

I had the opportunity to attend the OneThing conference at IHOP this past December and it was AWESOME! While visiting the 24/7 prayer room I met a very articulate 4 year old girl. We started talking and she was telling me a little about herself. I have been trying to be intentional at encouraging, praying for, imparting to children I encounter in my daily life, so I asked her (with the intention of praying a blessing for her) if she wanted to receive a present. She laughed a sort of mocking laugh and replied, "oh no thanks; I got a lot of presents for Christmas." "You mean you don't want a present? Not even a gift from God?" I responded SHOCKED - I mean, what child turns down the offer of a gift??? "Oh no, (sarcastic little laugh) and don't try to give me a Bible... I already have one of those..."

Never in my life have I encountered such a grown-up little child. It seems to me that she just bypassed childhood and started taking on not only the eloquent speech of an adult but also the pride, unbelief, and skepticism. There was not even a drop of imagination in her little body!

This conversation struck me so deeply first of all because to me it is a picture of how we, myself included, often act toward the good things God wants to give us. He has a feast prepared for anyone who is hungry enough to get off the floor, leave the crumbs and sit at His table. All too quickly I get complacent and satisfied in my relationship with God when there are untold riches and untapped depths of dimensions to Him.

Secondly, I was deeply grieved by this conversation the loss of innocence and imagination in someone so young! I am around children often in this season of my life, and, while she is an extreme example, unfortunately she is not so unique. In volunteering with the children's ministry in Waco last summer, I spoke with a mother about her 4 year old son. She mentioned she was going back to work and it was hard on her son. In response to how he was handling it she replied, "it is just time he grew up."

Since when are four year olds not considered children?! Since when did Jesus or the Bible ever tell us to "just grow up!" Rather, we are instructed to be like little children (Mt. 18:3). Of course, we mature and take on commitments and responsibilities, but we were never designed to lose our ability to imagine and wonder like a small child. We were never meant to lose our eagerness to explore the world around us or not have all the answers. AND we especially we were never meant to lose the ability to relate to God as our Heavenly Daddy.