Becoming As Little Children

I believe it is okay to think and act like a child...sometimes.

Then again, maybe it would be much better if we often did so.

Now, some may say that at forty I’m secretly looking for my second childhood, or I am just not enjoying some of the cynicism often associated with growing up and getting older. But, I believe it has more to do with what our Lord meant when He said,

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”~Matthew 18:3

Let me explain what I mean.

Seven years ago, God blessed our family with a wonderful sweet little girl.

When I say blessed, I mean blessed.

We had been praying for three years for another child. It looked as though I would not be able to conceive again. Therefore, we began to look into the possibility of adoption. We were third in line on a waiting list for private adoption.

However, God had different plans and thus he opened my womb. Once again proving that though we may plot our course, yet He directs our steps.

Shortly before our little girl was born, her father came to me and announced that he had made a decision regarding her name. She would be called Abigail.

There were two reasons he had chosen this name. First, because the meaning of the name was ‘a source of joy’. Second, the name was chosen after King David’s wife Abigail, whom the Bible declares was ‘a woman of good understanding’. (You can read about her in 1Samuel, chapter 25.)

Truly her name is a 'name well chosen', as she is indeed a source of joy to our lives. She is such a delight.

People continually comment on how happy she is. Her face just seems to radiate a glow of pure joy. I am certain there are reasons for that.

Abby seems to always take delight in the most simple of things. I recently told her father, “You know, you could give her a two inch piece of string and she’d find joy in it. She would have something positive to tell you about that string. She’d create some game with it, tell a story about it or just simply admire it and treasure it. That is just the way she is." He agreed.

Along with Abby's delight in the little things, she takes great delight in people.

She considers everyone here friend. In fact, I don't think she has never met a stranger, at least from her perspective. Rich or poor, young or old, clean or dirty...she treats everyone kindly and as though she has always known them as her friend.

Another virtue she possesses is her willingness to turn the other cheek.'

If you insult her or wrong her she will cry and she will hurt. Yet, she will forgive you quickly and love you still. Most times she does not even think of how she was wronged. Rather, she is concerned with how to be reconciled, sometimes to the point of being willing to take the blame or punishment for the wrongs of others upon herself. I’ve watched her do that time and time again.

I am often amazed at her, confident my Lord would teach me much through this child He has placed in my care.

One of the most important lesson I believe He would have me to learn from Abigail is how to become as a little child in my walk with Him. That is, how to see things with childlike eyes; how to rejoice and delight like a child; how to love and forgive as child; how to have childlike hope and anticipation; how to trust and have the faith of a child.

Oh, what deeper understanding of our Lord’s words I am gaining by taking the time to watch and learn from our 'source of joy', Abigail.

Please allow me to share a recent lesson with you.

Abby had been praying for snow.

We had moved to south Arkansas and she was missing the heavy winter snows of the Oklahoma panhandle. She had asked me several times when it was going to snow. I told her that only God knew the answer to that question. She would often tell me she wanted snow. I would tell her to pray about it.

She did.

For several weeks Abby talked about and prayed for snow.

Then, it happened.

The flurries came and dusted the ground.

It was not a heavy snow, barely over an inch deep. There were still clumps of grass and small rocks visible. When I first saw it, I thought; ‘She can’t make a snowman, she’ll be so disappointed.’

I would soon learn that my perspective and Abby’s perspective were as different as night and day.

Abigail was truly overjoyed at her snow. She was eager to dress and head outside.

I said, ‘Abby, there is so little snow, you can hardly make a snowball, let alone a snowman.’

She looked at me with hurt, yet deeply concerned eyes and said, “Oh, Mama, it snowed. God answered my prayers. Please let me go out and play in it.”

My heart was cut.

My conscious was pricked.

Immediately this verse came to mind;

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~Ephesians 5:20

I felt shamed and reproved. Yet, I knew I should. I needed to learn this lesson.

Abby was so thankful for her snow. She had prayed believing God would send it and He did. When it came, she was so very thankful to Him for it. She did not begrudge the lack of accumulation, she praised Him for it’s very presence. What I had viewed as a mere dusting upon the ground, she perceived as a bountiful blessing from heaven to be rejoiced over and delighted in.

I silently prayed, “Lord, teach me to be as thankful as this child. Teach me to see my blessings, each and every one, through eyes like these!”

Abby quickly dressed and bounded outside with a skip and a song.

Once again, I watched in awe and a longing curiosity as this precious child of mine taught me another lesson of becoming as little children. Silently thanking God for my little 'source of joy' who was helping her mother to become a 'woman of good understanding'.


But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. ~Luke 18:16