I’m thankful for children. I’m thankful for the innocent way they look at life, and their excitement in every little thing. Recently I took my nephews for a walk through the woods on a perfect fall day. As we entered the woods with the canopy of trees overhead and the path an array of color from the fallen leaves, I heard, “I really love this place. It’s beautiful.” Indeed it was. Everything we saw caused wonder: a few small acorns that the squirrels missed, small stones to throw in the water, fallen trees to try to walk on, and big sticks to carry. Joy, wonder, and anticipation of the next adventure are seen through the eyes of a child.
God is especially fond of children too. “Beware that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10) God loves the wonder and the innocence of children. Jesus took a stand for them when He walked on the earth. He said to His disciples, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these… And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them.” (Matthew 10:14,16) Remember to give thanks for the children, and for all the ways they add goodness to your life. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:17). Looking for a little excitement? Spend time with a child today and you will find yourself in the middle of a perfectly delightful adventure.
It’s that time of year when many of us are thinking about going back to school. As a teacher, I think about the kids who will be entering my classroom; they’ll come in all shapes and sizes and with various abilities and personalities. This reflection reminds me of a new boy that entered my room one year who had trouble with his speech and was challenged with making friends. We had an indoor recess one day and every child ran for their friends and began playing games. The new boy looked around at the gathered groups, saw no one gesturing to him, and quietly picked up the blocks and went to a corner to play alone. But then something beautiful happened. Zoe, a well-liked and friendly girl, left her group of laughing friends, crossed the room, and sat down by the new boy to play blocks with him the entire recess. Simply put, love is kind.