It's a Kid's Kingdom

I recently got to spend a whole weekend being “Miss Crystal” to some great little girls down the street.  Their parents were at a marriage conference and I got to hang out with the girls and learn a lot along the way!  Oh, how it made me want to be a mom...

Don’t get me wrong.  I totally remembered again just how impossible it is to get projects done – or even daily life – when your time and energy is consumed by little people who need all your attention and help every moment of the day.  (I am a teacher, after all… and have tried to actually accomplish something while my kids are working in the classroom.  Ha.)  And while I loved every minute of my time with these girls, I know how wearying it would get over weeks and months and years… and how much I, along with every other mom in the universe, would need a major break from time to time…

And I’m just so excited that, until I get to be a mom myself, I can hopefully help give the moms and dads around me this much-needed break while I get my kid fix while loving on their kids… :D

One of the things I came away with, though, was another one of God’s life lessons learned in the midst of, well, life.  These two little girls are amazing.  They’re sweet and respectful.  While they might have asked for candy a few too many times :), I knew that I could trust them to tell me how their household ran without trying to get away with things.  And yet, they are still kids.  It didn’t matter (nor did they realize) that I was in the kitchen making a meal for them to eat in 20 minutes because they were getting hungry.  They had no concept of the future or planning for it.  Rather, they needed my attention NOW to show me the picture they just made.  Or they asked for help because they couldn’t get the string for their bracelet tied.  No matter what was going on, there was a constant “Miss Crystal, can you… Miss Crystal, can I have… Miss Crystal… Miss Crystal… Miss Crystal…” ringing through the air.  And don’t get me wrong.  I didn’t begrudge it.  I know it would become overwhelming and draining on a constant basis, but for me, it was more of a reminder of what kids are like.

It made me reconsider the verse where Jesus’ disciples ask Jesus who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is… and He says this:

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me (Matthew 18:1-5).

And…

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14).

A child… asks.  Requests.  And let’s face it, sometimes(?!) demands.  I’m certainly not saying we should try to manipulate God or make Him do what we want – He’s our perfect Father and knows what’s best for us!  But at the same time, I often skirt away from asking God for things because I don’t want to bug Him.  I get stuck and want to ask for help… but remember that God probably has more important things to be doing at this moment.  Like helping someone who REALLY needs Him.  Or that He is planning ahead and getting caught up and preparing for tomorrow.  Or thinking, “I don’t want to annoy Him with every little thing… I should be able to take care of this myself, right?

But after spending a weekend in the world of kids, I was reminded that kids think nothing of the sort.  Instead, they think, “Um, I need help.  Who will help me… now?”  Or… “This is hard!  Can you do this for me!?”  If God means what He says about us being like little children, then maybe God is also saying that He really wants us to … approach Him.  Ask for what we need.  Not be afraid or worried whether He has something more important going on.  But trusting that He has our best interest in mind and wants to help us.  And remembering that God is not restrained by our concept of time.  That He can take all the time He wants setting up tomorrow for me… and the rest of the world... while still delighting in spending this moment right now helping me with my seemingly trivial problem.  And loving every minute of it without watching the clock and wondering how dinner is going to get made. 

So.  Rejoice in the kingdom He's given us.  And here's hoping that I, at least, can become a bit more kid-like in my relationship with Jesus!