I wonder how many of you like to play on swings? Run and jump into a big pool of water? Paint with your hands? Sing and dance freely?...secretly?
I sat on a tyre swing in glorious Tanzanian sunshine ‘working’ on Saturday afternoon. There are very few parks or play areas in Tanzania so the little girl I work with loves them whenever she can. Now I have to say it was really taxing to have to play with her on the slide, swings, help her jump from one tree stump to another in a circle, hold her as she swung across monkey bars and climbed carved thin tree stumps – I am being sarcastic! As I had been ordered to swing on the tyre swing next to her (these were no normal tyre swings they were AMAZING normally I can’t stay in one but these had been hollowed out) I realised I love being child like. I enjoy playing and being silly. I love being on swings and sliding down slides. It made me think; is it just me?
Jesus says to bring all the little children to Him (Matt 19:13) and then calls us to be like children. I wonder how many of us actually allow ourselves to do this? Are we secure enough in ourselves to not care what others think and jump in and enjoy life? Honestly, I am not. I care a lot what others think. The thing is you gain no respect from children if you are not willing to join in with them. This requires you to get dirty, look stupid sometimes and not care what the adults around you think. A few months ago I walked into the nursery I was working in and the children decided to cover me in stickers. These were Christmas stickers, despite it being June. I let them. 38 (yes I counted them) stickers later I looked impressive. Like a massive Christmas card. I spent the whole day like that. Why? Because those kids laughed and laughed and what did it really matter? At other times I have danced to children’s music and the little girl I work with now loves pulling silly faces so if that’s what it takes that is what I will do to cheer her up. Do I care? Yes! Of course I care but the question is should I?
God has been encouraging me for a while to be child-like. He has called us to enjoy life and live it to the full. Are we? That doesn’t always mean being serious, sometimes it means sitting on a swing and enjoying the freedom. Sometimes it means dancing and looking silly. God wants us to come to him as children. Now I may have a great excuse at times but what I really want is to be able to continue even when the children I work with are not around. Fancy joining me? Perhaps this is more of a warning for any of you when you are around me in future... ;-)
Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement, you are in my thoughts and prayers. How I love being part of the body of Christ!
Please let me know of any prayer requests you have.
Love and blessings,
Debbie ><>
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