It is Ok to Be Like A Child

       Yes, I did just tell you that it is ok to be like a child, but do not run way with just that thought; let me explain why. Every child has wanted to grow up; they have always wanted the next thing. Even I find that I want the next thing; I cannot wait to get my driver’s license. One thing that children are really great at, though, that somehow they always manage to lose is their willingness to just do it. You ask a child of about the age of two to go get you a cup of water, he is just going to do it no questions asked, but the older that he gets, the more he loses this. I have two nephews and two nieces. Their ages range from three weeks to seven years. I am going to go through and point out how each one is at a different stage of growing up and how this affects the way they behave and what this looks like in our walk with Christ. 
Wesley is seven years old and very smart. He is to that age where learning is hard work because math is no longer 2 + 2 =4. As for reading, it is no longer “ball, dog, and cat.” He is growing up which means that learning is no longer as easy as he would like. Also, it is no longer, “I am just going to go empty the dish washer for you because you asked me to. I will empty it, though, if you tell me what I get out of doing the work for you.” Wesley is getting older. He is getting to the point that he can handle doing bigger amounts of work, but he is also to the age where more work does not sound very fun. And if you ask Wesley to do something that he thinks is kind of weird, he will ask you why you are having him do it. 
You must be thinking by now, how does this tie into our walk with Christ? Some of us have been Christians ever since we were five (or around that). When you get saved at this age, you will grow in your walk with Christ. In our process of growing up, we get to the point where doing the work that God has called us to is no longer fun. We have to be bribed into doing the work; we are always looking at “what I will get out of it.” Or on the other hand, when Christ asks us to do something, we just have to ask why. Why am I going to church today? Why am I going out evangelizing with my church? Why am I obeying my mother and father? The list could go on and on. We all know that grownups do not mind answering a few whys, but after about the third time it gets really old. Have you ever thought that God might like not having all of his orders questioned? Also, when it comes to our learning being harder, look at that as a good thing. It means that God thinks we are ready to learn the next thing and do the harder work. 
Abi is five years old and loves to dance. She enjoys doing her school because it is not too hard and it is still in the fun stage of coloring and cutting things out. Work is also not the most horrible thing in the world, but more often than not, she will get distracted from what she really should be doing or the job will look like it is done, but open the door to the closet and you will find surprises. One thing that does happen every once in a while is when someone other than Mommy or Daddy tells her to do something, she will give you the famous, “your not in charge of me,” even though you really are. Some of us are at the stage in our walk with Christ where we do not mind doing the stuff that God tells us to do. Going to church has not become a boring thing yet, and if someone calls on us to teach the Sunday school class, we do not mind that either. And the trials in our life have not yet gotten to the point where we feel overwhelmed by them because God is right there helping us every step of the way.  But we do still have problems. When God works through other people like our mother or father, youth pastor, or a teacher, we do a horrible job responding to them. I am sorry to say that God works through other authorities than Himself and it is our job to say yes no matter what. Getting the job done all the way can be a really hard thing and sometimes it is easier to just throw everything into a closet. But doing the jobs all the way is a big deal to God.  “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.” 2 Cor 8:9-11. 
Miles is two weeks old and sleeps a lot. Now, as we all know, this child cannot do school yet or help out around the house. The only thing that he really does is bring joy and make messes. Even if Miles wanted to do something good, he cannot because his body does not know how. At this age, though, Miles is growing as fast as his little body knows how. As babies in Christ, there is not a whole lot we can do but grow. That is what all of our energy should be poured into. 
Faith is two years old. I saved her for last because I want to dwell on the character that she has the most. Faith is not yet at the age where school is part of her life, but learning is something she does every minute of every day. Learning to talk and use eating utensils are not  easy things, neither are they something that you only work on for a few minutes a day. This little girl is also at the stage where helping is really fun. If you ask her if she wants to help, she will say “Yahhh” and dive right in. One thing she has not learned is how to ask questions, so you will never hear her ask why we are doing what we are doing. She simply trusts that you have it under control. She may not be able to handle much yet in her life, and if you want her to do something, you do have to tell her more than once what you want her to do, but everything is very cut and dried to her. With our walk with Christ, we need to be always learning; it cannot be something that we set aside time for; it is what our life is to be about. Most people think that the only time you need to learn about Christ is when you go to church or some event like that. Well, they are wrong. Learning about God is a twenty-four/seven thing. Doing God’s will is something that is extremely fun to you now because it is not old, and doing anything with God’s people is a joy to you. Doing any thing that God asks you to do is just part of life. As far as being told more than once what God wants us to do, I am sorry if this is not a happy thought, but you can see this concept all throughout the Bible. If God wants us to do something, He will tell us more than once what He wants us to do. Everything to Faith is fun and that is the way it should be with our walk in Christ. Everything that God asks us to do is for our good and we should take joy in it. 
So, as far as being like a child goes, I do not mean that you can act like a child in the body, but in spirit you can. There are four different types of kid you can be. You may not fit into just one type; you may be a mix of a few of them. The point that I am making is that children have amazing amounts of faith and trust in the people watching over them. I have also showed you how as you grow up you start to lose some of your faith in the people that are taking care of you. When you look at a new Christian, they have amazing amounts of faith in their Father, but as time passes, that faith starts to die away. Some people say that their walk with God is getting stronger, but if I start to question everything that God asks of me, I would not call that a better relationship.  
It is no mistake that we are called children of God. We are to obey Him in every way with out question. We spend too much time trying to figure out what the next step should be when really what we should be doing is running towards the goal that God has given us. There is a saying that you only feel the rocks and sticks on your feet when you are walking, but when you run you do not notice them at all. 
“And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:13-15. 



Project: Have a childlike faith. When someone that is an authority over you asks you to do something, do not ask them why you are doing it, just do it. When God asks you to do something, have faith that He will be there to take you by the hand and pull you along. 


Follow-up: Well, I must say that I have not gotten 100% on this one. Maybe it is not my calling to be good at making my bed every day. Anyways, for those of you that are doing the 40 day project, I am sure that you are overjoyed to hear that 40 days are not over yet... but you only have 10days left. Yeah! Keep in there. I am sure you are doing great. And if you have not done well in your projects that does not mean that you get to stop trying. Keep at it and finish what you start.