A Child at Heart Part Two

On Wednesday we started speaking about the nature of children being in us. Here is the rest of that conversation. Join in to share your thoughts in the comments. Remember to Subscrbe using the button on your right.

Why you need to remain a Child at Heart

They have fun. In today’s fast paced world, it is very difficult for people to have fun. We have become sucked into the rat race which never ends. Our worries about tomorrow keep us from enjoying today. We are so caught up chasing the future that we have no moment to enjoy today. Children remind us that today is all we have. Now is all the time we have. We cannot keep postponing our joy to a future we don’t know about or have. Remember the story of the rich fool who thought he now had everything worked out and was now ready to have fun. Little did he know that it was too late. Don’t postpone the fun you can have today for a future date. Enjoy today as you work for the future. It is the only way to live.

They are dreamers and believe all things are possible. Talk to any child and you hear them speak freely about the things they want to do. You would think they are crazy for suggesting certain things because they seem to be so out of this world. For children all things are possible. This is why it is always easier for younger generations to embrace certain possibilities that were unheard of in times past. A lot of innovation comes from young minds for this very reason. As adults, we get so used to the limitations that exist and find it difficult to dream like before. We need to recapture our ability to dream and see all possibilities to enjoy life. Remember when you believed nothing was beyond you? That was when you were real. The problem is that the world has taught you the exact opposite and told you it is real. There is need for you to reclaim that which is lost of your ability to dream.

They are impulsive. Children do not care about goals and plans. They care about what is in front of them. They do not run away from the present because they are thinking of the future. Their goal is to enjoy what is in front of them right now. They don’t stay stuck in places where their interest has waned. They do not think of any investment in any activity as too much to lose. They are not fixated on an ideal outcome. They adjust to the environment around them and make the most of what it affords them. Our challenge as adults is that we choose a certain path and as a result remain closed to any other possibility. We count the cost of what we have put into a particular activity and tell ourselves it is too great to let go. We hold on to dead horses because they once raced excellently. We have difficulty letting go of ideas that have become outdated simply because we have been doing them for so long. We are afraid of disruption and those who think out of the box. We are so comfortable in our averageness that those who dare to go on to great heights are considered abnormal. We hold on to the norm so much so that to do anything else seems to be madness.

They are forthright about what they want. Children do not beat about the bush when it comes to their requests. They do not frame their requests in flowery language. They do not go round in circles. If they want something they simply blurt it out. What you do with it as a parent or guardian is up to you. As far as they are concerned, they have laid down what they need. You have to figure out how to meet it for them or respond to them in a different way. How many times have you gone to God and instead of being clear about what you want, you have said a lot of things but the very thing you need?

They are a blank page. Children are a great canvas for an artist because they are blank and ready to be filled. They do not approach any lesson with preconceived ideas, prior research or bias. They keep their minds open to new information and are just as eager to learn something new today as they did yesterday. How much information and insights have you lost simply because you were closed minded? What fills your mind constantly that you have no room to learn anything new? How can you ensure that your mind is an open book for God to write new insights everyday?

They are persistent. Children can be annoyingly persistent. When they set their sights on something, it is very difficult to dissuade them. There could be two things similar to each other but children will decide to go after one and despite your attempts to make them see the similarity, they will insist on the one that caught their attention. Children can teach us to stay focused on what we are pursuing when it is important to us.

They are courageous. Children exhibit no fear in what they do. They do not shy away from challenges and difficult situations. Fear is created from experiences. Because they are free from the shackles of experience, they keep going without limit. They take on anything and anyone unless fear is instilled in them from an external source.

They are quick to forget. They do not keep a record of wrongs. They do not remember their negative experiences forever. They are quick to let go of disappointments and failures. They have no room in their hearts and minds for the past. Whether that past was great or not, they are ready to do something else today, to repeat a positive experience. To try again when it comes to experiences that did not go too well for them yesterday. Simply put, they don’t carry their history or take it too seriously. We adults on the other hand, have an established memory of all that has gone wrong including that which is not helpful. We find it hard to repeat positive experiences because we think we won’t experience anything else other than what was last time.

There are many reasons why we need to embrace the attitude and disposition of a child in our relationship with God. It is a matter of changing our mindset and outlook of things.

When Paul speaks about being transformed by the renewal of our minds in Romans 12:1-2, it is talking about the continuous process of returning to the default mindset of a child. It is the only way we can have a fruitful, fulfilling relationship with God. Elsewhere the scriptures also speak about a man who is led of the spirit. Jesus says such a man is like the wind, you can’t tell where he comes from and where he goes but you feel the impact of his passing by. There is power and effectiveness in surrendering to the sovereignty of Jesus everyday of our lives. They will be richer when we stop fighting and just allow the spirit to lead us on to where he wants us to go. Like children if only we trust him, we shall live in fantasia. Ecstasy will be the definition of our lives.

There are two things I challenge you to do. The first one is think and purpose to live your life more like a child going forward. Secondly, if you are a parent or guardian, allow your children to live like the children they are and encourage as much as possible the maintenance of this innocent state. They will be helped to stay close to who they are throughout life.