Who doesn't like a good water balloon fight on a hot summer day? Who doesn't like to jump in a big pile of leaves in the fall? Who doesn't like to have a snowball fight in the winter? Who doesn't like to run through a rain shower in the springtime? Me. I don't know why, well actually I do I just don't want to admit my reasons but I guess I have to confess the truth hear since this is what I'm talking about. I don't like to get messy and dirty. I don't want to mess up my hair or my makeup or my clothes. Yes I am serious here. This is a very sad statement I am typing here. Really this is not a great way for me to be. I love to have fun and laugh but why do I get so goofy about this stuff? Seriously? It seems sort of ridiculous when I think about it after all that is what life's all about isn't it? Laughter is the best medicine, isn't it? Sometimes being a little childish can be fun, although there are those people who never want to grow up, but sometimes we(me) get so wrapped up in the seriousness of life we forget to let go and have some fun.
3 of my 6 grandchildren are pictured here having a water balloon fight during the 4th of July weekend. Where was I? Up on the deck watching and laughing and taking pictures. Seriously? What is wrong with me? I don't think I'm the only one acting this way in fact I know I'm not alone in this struggle. We were taught that we grow up we should give up our childish ways. Why? What's wrong with acting like a child for a few moments? I tend to be one of those serious people. I need to behave a certain way or people may not like me or approve of me. I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and that is serious business after all. I'm supposed to be an example of Jesus and I don't think Jesus would get in a water balloon fight with a group of children. I don't think Jesus would jump in a pile of leaves or have a snowball fight or dance in the rain. Or would He?
Seriously the picture of Jesus I had growing up was a serious man who prayed and ministered and healed. He had too much important things to do to waste time playing with children. I pictured Him like a CEO of an important organization. His schedule was packed tight with no time for shenanigans and goofing around. He's God's Son with an important mission to accomplish, no free time in His schedule. He had a very serious goal to accomplish and a balloon fight or dancing in the rain was out of the question. Since He lived in the Middle East there probably wasn't piles of leaves to jump in or snow to form into snowballs. But anyway I just couldn't begin to imagine Jesus playing with children, but I think He did. He loved children. In fact when the disciples tried to get them to leave Him alone, He told them to let the little children come to Him. Then He said this:
Matthew 18:33 And He said: " Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Even though it's not in the Bible, I can picture Jesus playing tag with a group of children. If there would have been water balloons back then, He would have been in the center throwing them back and forth and laughing with the children. I can picture Him dancing in the rain with the children. Sometimes we take the seriousness and urgency of this Jesus thing way to serious, I know I do. We become legalistic and bond by our doctrine instead of laughing and enjoying this life. Jesus said that we must become like children. That doesn't mean that we spend our life playing, that means (at least to me) learning to grow, learning what path we need to follow, letting God have control of our life, letting God provide for us, and it means learning to laugh and enjoy life.
Children (not teenagers) have fun but they are also learning new things, growing in their knowledge, willing to get back up after they fall down, willing to try new things. They rely on their parents for food and shelter and clothing, they trust that their parents will take care of them. They are totally dependent on their parents for survival. They obey (for the most part) their parents trusting that they know best. They play games and learn through these games, they read parent approved book and watch parent approved TV shows and movies. They listen to parent approved music.
God is our heavenly Daddy. He wants the best for us. He has a plan that make our life way better than we could ever dream. When we rely on Him and trust in Him the way a child trusts in and relys on their parents, that pleases God. When we get rid of the music, the TV shows, the movies and the books that aren't doing anything good for us, that pleases God. When we come to Him with our needs, that pleases God. When we thank Him for all He's done and given us, that pleases God. When we learn to laugh and play, that pleases God.
So lets try to live life like a child. Let's learn and grow and laugh.
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