My wife needed to stop by Target to pick up a couple of things to take the girls in our human trafficking shelter out for a celebration. I told her to take her time and go to the floor above to get what she needed. I was with the kids and was trying to kill some time. Suddenly, I got an idea. I told my little boy to sit in the shopping cart and my daughter to stand on the outside holding the edge of the cart. Then, we decided to spend the next twenty minutes doing crazy laps around Target in the shopping cart. Sharp corner turns, mini daredevil stuns, it was absolutely brilliant. It was the best trip to Target ever.
I stopped for a second after to realize the power of that moment. Yes, of course, my kids had a blast. However, at the same time, I realized that the pressures of life can age us into robotic people who forget that childlike thrill that lies deep within. Life can be so serious and filled with emotions that are so raw and painful that it strips away that “Childlike Spirit” that is so necessary to being a Christian.
When the disciples tried to turn the children away from Jesus I believe Jesus rebuked them because he saw something so pure that he wanted the disciples to see.
NEVER LET THE PRESSURES OF LIFE TAKE AWAY THE CHILDLIKE WONDER THAT STABILIZES THE WEARY SPIRIT.
Being childlike is very responsible behavior for an adult. It’s very healthy and very wise to let yourself have random moments when you lose yourself in childlike wonder. Also, I believe that letting yourself be as a child unleashes creativity that only comes from an imagination that sees everything through childlike possibility. Many times on summer vacations, I see parents laying on a recliner all day while their kids are in a pool. I totally understand that parents deserve a break! However, you just might surprise yourself by how much fun you can have splashing around the pool with your kids and losing yourself in uncommon, unplanned behavior.
My trip to Target reminded me, as a parent and in life, to keep it light and easy. We all know that hard moments and pain will definitely track us down. We must create light-hearted moments to fight a decaying spirit that comes from letting life live us, rather than choosing what life is going to be. Next time you go to Target or anywhere that seems mundane, find a way to see it through the creativity and imagination of a child.
