I love it when students say "Is your name really Ms. Little?!? Cuz you ain't EVEN little!" I'm not. It's true. I tell them I must have been born on opposite day. (It's awesome when they accept that as a valid reason for my last name.) I often have to consider the massive height difference when prepping lessons, creating interactive bulletin boards, or when I need to communicate to a child that I'm on their side.
Last Sunday there was a little girl who had come before the church to profess her faith and get baptized. She was so small, standing there next to her parents and Pastor Paul. But, as he continued to talk to us, he got down on his knees to be closer to her height. It was beautiful. She seemed to be a lot less nervous about being in front of a TON of adults with him literally by her side. Her faith and trust, and joy were so fresh and bright and newly evident. How precious it was to watch her begin her journey of faith with a delight and wonder in God's Word. Would we have seen her heart as much had Paul not brought himself physically closer to her height?
Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
I want to be like Jesus in being more accessible to children. Honoring the impact children have in our lives, and receiving their perspective as valid and important has always been one of my life values.
A new thing for me though is in learning to become more like the children in the way I run to Jesus uninhibited. Peter did it too on the lake, when he leaped out of the boat to run (on the water!!!) to see Jesus.
A "special" adult I've been acquainted with since college goes to my new church. I know I haven't seen him in almost 20 years (yes, I was in college THAT long ago), but when I first ran into him at church, he grabbed my hands and exuberantly exclaimed how good it was to see me again after such a long time. I was amazed he remembered me and thankful that God gave me a sense of respect for special people even back then.
I sat a few seats down the row from him last week. Worship grabbed me and my hands were mirroring the movement in my heart as sometimes happens. At some point in a song, this sweet man who also loves worship, grabbed my hand, and held it triumphantly in the air. Our arms, together made a big "W". I was definitely taken aback (ok, shocked), but am so glad I went with the flow. I was incredibly blessed with a picture of how community is supposed to look. My heart melted in awe as tears streamed down my face. We were worshiping together in community, free from self protecting boundaries. It was SO precious.
My "special" friend didn't have to become childlike to grab my hand in worship, I had to become less of a formal adult in order to receive his hand.
I've been writing a song about being holy and set apart. As I have grown older and have experienced harshness, I've built self protective walls in my heart that don't belong there. I can't receive Jesus with those walls in the way. One of my acts of worship (both in day to day living and during corporate worship), is to open my heart and allow our adoring Father remove my fears, social safety nets, and self protecting shyness. Being Holy like Jesus, is also about being like I was when I was a lot younger and didn't know how to be shy. I didn't know about differences in skin color, income, abilities, or government. In doing so, I'm choosing to be "set apart" and am taking the risk of being vulnerable ...or childlike.
I hope SO very much, that as I get older in years, I become younger and less inhibited -more childlike. I think that's how I'll see more of Jesus.
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