I have been challenged by Jesus’s words, “I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:15).  Surely, my experiencing the kingdom of God is one of my heart’s desires. So I have been pondering what it is like to be “like a child”.  Fortunately, I had an opportunity this week to observe some four-year-olds in a Head Start pre-K classroom.

As I share the picture of the Head Start classroom, let me hone in on one little boy, and share what he did over the one hour I watched him. (Picture him surrounded by 14 other children and three teachers.)  When his teacher told the class to “go play”, he bounded over to the area where there were blocks of all sizes.  He then created a zoo with animals, sharing these blocks ( which in his imagination were animals and houses) with friends. Then he changed up the blocks and they became a pirate ship and ocean. He giggled and jabbered and shouted and questioned as he interacted with the other children in the “block corner.”

Bored with that play he sought out a table with puzzles strewn all over it. (It happened to be right in front of me where I sat observing the class.)  With excited movements, he dumped some puzzles and started rearranging the pieces. When he found one he liked, he focused intently, chewing on his lip to help his concentration.  Once the pieces fit and the puzzle picture was complete he proudly carried it over to me and said, “See?!” with a big grin.  The moment I smiled back and said, “Good job,” he skipped away to find another adventure.

The teacher then called and asked the class to clean up. He shifted gears and obeyed. He put the blocks and puzzles away.  He lined up, took the hand of the teacher near him, and was led outdoors to the playground.

Just from this vignette, what can we say are the characteristics of being a child?  I’d like to suggest one word:  SIMPLE. A child is simply – S-I-M-P-L-E. 

S:   His thoughts are simple and concrete.  His thinking was not like mine, caught up in complex ideas and convoluted constructs.  He did not work off of a complicated agenda. (1 Cor. 1:27).

I:    He was motivated by an immediate need to get what he wanted (immediate gratification, in psych terms).  That means, when he wanted something, he went after it.  He enacted the idea, “Ask and ye shall receive . . . Seek, and ye shall find.”  (Mat. 7:7)

M:  He loved the mysteries of play, the process of seeing a puzzle come together, the blocks turned into a pirate ship.  He used his imagination to create adventures.  (Prov. 29:18)

P:  He sought the praise of the adult and was content and satisfied with the words,  “good job.”  He was practical, desiring just praise for “a job well done”  to satisfy him.  (Mat. 25:21)

L:  He accepted his lowly place as a child, humbled himself as the dependent one, and placed his trusting hand in the teacher’s.  Because he loved her and trusted her, he allowed himself to be led outside.  (Mat. 18:4)

E:  He was exuberant, expressive, emotional.  He was making music in his heart. (Eph. 5:19)

So here is the challenge:  are you willing to be simple?

The other day I watched a movie about a French girl who became a Carmelite nun at the age of 15, and was eventually canonized:  Therese of Lisieux.  She was considered simple, loving, and Jesus-focused.

One of her famous sayings is:

“The closer you become to God,

the more simple you become.”

Sarah Young wrote that in the world “dependency” is considered immaturity.  But in God’s kingdom, depending on God is the primary measure of maturity.

Go through today embracing these traits of a dependent child:

Simple thinking,

immediate gratification (for the things of God),

pursuit of kingdom mysteries and adventures,

practical praise of the Heavenly Father,

lowliness and humility,

and emotional expressiveness, an unabashed praising and thanking Jesus for all that is happening.

Be a child for Jesus.

Don’t miss out on the kingdom of heaven!

Blessings,