“…become as little children…”  (Matthew 18)

 

C.S. Lewis said, The desire to be an adult and to grow up is natural for children and young people, but once one reaches adulthood and still concerns one’s self with being a grown up or an adult, or being concerned with acting like an adult and being seen as an adult is childish. This I understand.

Christ calls us to become as little children, in terms of faith. Paul said, we must do all things in, with, and by faith. Therefore, should we not remain as little children?  Of course, I am not suggesting we throw off our “adult responsibilities.” In Scripture, one will not find a more responsible person than David, Christ excepting, of course.  In the early part of David’s life in first (1st) Samuel, the Spirit points out how David always saw to his current responsibility before performing his next. David was a youth in those days. One need not be an “adult” to be responsible.

Augustine said that adult business is the same as children playing on a playground. The same playground rules apply to business. In fact, I have observed many a business owner acting childish in terms of pouting, temper tantrums, acting as a spoiled child.  The fact is we are never done growing up. Is not the parent continually growing up  and learning as a parent?

In the Christ-ian faith, it is the Christ-ian’s predestinated end to become like Christ. Paul said we should always be reaching for that which is before us, this sentence and the previous speaks to a continual growing and developing. Jacob, in the Book of Genesis, had to deceive, disquise himself, and pretend to be his OLDER brother, Esau. Is this something mant adults think they must do?

In my experience one has to suppress their inner child in order to be an adult. Of course, one must behave one’s self appropriately in different situations and must perform in certain ways according to certain social norms and dynamics, but should we infer from these concepts that we must be boring and “grown up” all the time to the point of exhaustion and becoming “old?”  Methinks not.

While many think they must be a grown up, I will settling for being a “growing up.”  Adulthood and the grown up life is boring with out a young heart.  One must keep a sense of wonderment about themselves.  When was the last time you looked at the clouds…I mean really looked at the clouds and thought my Father made those.  When was the last time you looked at the night sky and beheld the Glory that is our God?

When was the last time you looked at a squirrel and realized it was the perfect specimen of balance or looked at it’s tail and realized that it is that tail that allows it to climb on wires and steady itself on a thin branches?

When was the last time you looked at a common everyday bird and wondered at it’s form and make up and it’s color?  I stand in awe of the cardinal, it’s color, it’s beauty and it’s peculiarity.

When was the last time you watched traffic and thought how amazing it is that will all the lane changing there is not constant crashes?  One should see the mercy of God in something that is that taken for granted.  When was the last time you drove in pouring rain that was so very loud and then drove under an overpass and enjoyed the silence for that single second?  To remain young, one must remain in awe of God and His Creation.

Reader, When I see an “adult” looking at others adults, who are enjoying life and remaining young at heart, I am saddened by the formers, “adult-ness.” You may grow up and be a boring adult and take everything for granted and lose the wonderment of God’s Creation, but as for me and my house, we will remain as little children before our Heavenly Father.