Our precious little boy, John, turned 1 a couple of weeks ago.
His favorite thing to do right now in nearly all his waking moments is to grab my index fingers in each of his hands and walk around everywhere.
Just utter joy. Completely fearless. Endlessly adventurous.
Occasionally, he’ll twist around to look up and check if it’s indeed me behind him. One time, I pulled a little switcharoo and handed him off to someone else without him noticing.
Well, John noticed soon enough, and cried his tiny baby tears. So, that’s a no-go now ha
Without a care in the world, all he seemingly ever wants to do is play with us, be held, or go places until one— or both— of us drop tired.
I often pondered which aspect, or aspects, of children Jesus adored so much:
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
When John and I walk, occasionally he’ll head in a direction or let go of one hand to reach for something that’s “no-good.” I’ll gently nudge him in another direction or tell him, “Let’s not play with that right now, and go do something else!”
And as if he could utter the words, “Why, of course!” he simply obeys and re-directs his steps or attention wherever I guide him.
There’s this deep, complete trust I can’t quite explain. It surprises me every time.
Perhaps this is a picture of what it looks like to humble ourselves like children.
May we approach the Father with open hands to grab His and roam around freely, like how Abraham and Paul did— wherever He takes us.
May we follow the Father like the Son, “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2), with a humble and trusting heart.
Little does John know, I cherish every moment he approaches me and opens his palms to signal, ‘Come on, Dad! Let’s go places!’
The more I get to know our Father in heaven, I am sure he’s eager to do the same and much more together with us.
With love,
Jae
“You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:3-5)
