The other day, I was sitting outside at a picnic table with a child in my daycare when out of the blue he started telling me how he doesn’t understand why people don’t believe in God. I don’t usually talk to the kids about God but something was on this 7-year – old’s heart that he just needed to share with me. It went something like this.
“You know what? God created all of this! God created the whole world. Some people don’t believe that. They believe it was just put together or it started without trees.”
“Yup” I reply
“ And you know what? He created the whole world in just 6 days and then on the seventh day He rested. He made man too from the dirt. And you know that He made woman from a piece of the man?”
“Yes, it was the rib”
“ And you know what? That woman was tricked by the snake and ate the fruit which is why we do bad things.”
“That’s correct”
“And you know what? We can talk to God. We just have to close our eyes like this (he closes his eyes) and start talking to Him. We can tell Him everything. He can help us with anything.”
“And you know what? We can talk to God. We just have to close our eyes like this (he closes his eyes) and start talking to Him. We can tell Him everything. He can help us with anything.”
“And you know what? God had a Son named Jesus who died but then rose again. He walked on this earth. And you know that if you kill someone you go down there (he pointed to the ground) but if you do good you go to heaven”
“Well, you can go to heaven but you have to believe in Jesus.”
“I believe in Jesus!”
“Really? Me too, He’s my best friend.”
“Mine too.”
It was a refreshing dose of a simple faith. I have been watching children a lot lately. On Sunday at church, I was watching a little boy in the chair in front of me during worship. His face was full of joy. I began to wonder what goes on in his head on a daily basis. I guarantee he doesn’t worry about what he is going to eat tonight or where he will get the money to buy new clothes. He is not debating whether or not he should get the H1N1 vaccine. He does not care what other people think of him as he bounces around to the rythmn of the music. He is loving and forgiving when someone wrongs him. When he is hurt, he goes to his father. When he is sad, he goes to his father. When he is happy, he goes to play with his father. He trusts his father to take care of him, to protect him, to guide him, and to love him unconditionally.
Imagine if we had a faith like these children. The faith that God desires us to have
“and He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4
