The Faith Of A Child

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Hands raised, the little girl danced with abandon at the front of the church. Though her younger brother ran up next to her and other kids were on the periphery, she continued, joy evident in every movement.

Watching from the section adjacent to hers, I couldn’t help but smile. Though I love the occasional worship nights at our church, my singing and praising are more restrained. But seeing her unselfconscious response spurred my gratitude for the opportunity the evening presented. Together, the body of Christ was worshiping God.

Her actions also reminded me of a story my dad told me when I was a little girl.

We were in church, and Dad felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground (see the directives to Moses in Exodus 3:5 and to Joshua in Joshua 5:15). Feeling awkward and a little embarrassed, he resisted. Not long afterward, he noticed that my toddler self kept removing her shoes. Repeatedly, I’d take them off each time I was admonished to put them on.

Convicted, my dad realized that even though he was resistant, I—a toddler—seemed to be listening to the Lord.

Though it might feel strange to take off our shoes in church, there is a beautiful lesson to be learned regarding children. Often, they are open and unashamed, unworried about what others think. When we are asked to have the faith of a child, I often wonder if it’s this joyous wonder that Jesus means. You don’t have to tell a child how to play, dance, or sing. Their zest for life is natural and infectious. How can we cultivate that same attitude of joy and wonder in our lives?

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Jot down three ways we can learn from childlike faith.