Little Children Dancing

“He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:2-3

Last week at Crossroads I was near the back of the worship center. I had a chance to watch everyone during the songs at the beginning of the worship service. All of the adults were standing and most were singing along with the worship team. One of the songs was a favorite of mine so I was singing along too. On one side a couple of people had a hand raised toward heaven. But most were just standing there and half the men had at least one hand in their pockets. It was all very nice, and well, orderly.

In the back of the worship center there was a completely different kind of worship happening. Several of the children were dancing around in large circles and singing. I’m not sure if they knew all the words, but they were singing just the same. Well, really they were half singing and half yelling out to God. And they were dancing. It was quite a difference from the adults up front that were standing sedately and singing the words in perfect cadence, if not quite perfect pitch.

For a while now I have been thinking about what Jesus said, that I have to become like a little child. I think it is so typical of many of the sayings Jesus left for us. Just when I think I have it figured out, I discover it might have had a second, or third, or fourth meaning. There are layers to what Jesus said when he was on Earth. Maybe this year I am ready to grasp a meaning that I wasn’t prepared to learn last year. Last week I was thinking again about what Jesus might have meant when he said I must become like a little child.

The children at Crossroads that morning were dancing about with a simple and pure joy that I long ago lost from my life. I suppose I decided that I have to grow up. I figured that little kids run and dance, but adults don’t do silly things like that. I guess I took it to heart when someone told me that adults are mature and measured as they live their lives. But what if Jesus was saying that I need to express joy in being close to God? What if God smiles when I try to dance and sing, just like a proud daddy watching his little girl at a ballet recital? What if God wants me to act younger at the same time I am learning to think older? I kind of think so. And that is going to be a hard thing for me to do because I have always been better at thinking than at playing. I’m not even sure where to start finding more joy in my life. Perhaps all of us adults need to find some of the kids, hold hands, and let them teach us how to dance in a circle. I think maybe God is starting to smile a little bit already.

[PhotoCredit:Richard Messenger & david.nathan.cox & adwriter]