After being blessed with my little girl for over 3 months now, I see why Jesus spoke so highly of children to his disciples in Mark 10:14 when he said” suffer the little children tocome unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Children are gifts from God and I certainly feel that way about my baby. It’s amazing how even a 3 month old can help me to put my life into perspective, and I have found that my daughter can teach me things, even at such a young age. Four things in particular come to mind when I think about the important lessons I can gather from my baby and from children in general.
1. Be Grateful: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 states; “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Whether it be a warm bottle of milk or a hug, my baby shows gratitude for these things as evident by her actions. She smiles, coos and genuinely shows pleasure with anything she is given. Adults can learn from this in a day and age where society teaches us to not pay attention to the small things in life and to only focus on how much of something we can get. I hope that my baby will continue to be grateful for both the big and small blessings she will, Lord willing, be bestowed throughout her life
2. Be Patient: When she is waiting to be fed or picked up, my baby usually doesn’t cry right away. She lays and fidgets with her hands for a little while and then she starts babbling loudly. She rarely gets to the point of crying, which shows that she is willing to wait for something she wants. We, as Christians, can learn to be patient when waiting for both earthly and Spiritual gifts. Christians must not grow weary in waiting for God to reward them for living the right way in this life. Galatians 6:9 states; “ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Patience is a positive character trait that can benefit us in both this life and the next life.
3. Be Cheerful: Proverbs 15:13 says; A merry heart maketh a cheerfull countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” My baby wakes up every morning with a smile and in turn, she makes my day start off so much better! She is always happy and doesn’t let things bother her for very long. We, as Christians should be the happiest people in this life because we know that, if we are faithful, we have a home in Heaven waiting for us. Those who live worldly lives do not have this blessing waiting for them. A baby is the closest being to God we can ever see in this life, and I am reminded of this fact with every smile my baby blesses me with!
4. Show unconditional love. Babies are so loving! They are eager to give and receive love no matter who you are. They show love toward others no matter what their social class or past consists of. Christians should be this loving toward both other Christians and non-Christians. We should love everyone so much that we want to see them reach Heaven. Therefore we must train our minds to not focus solely on the mistakes someone has made, but rather focus on showing love and kindness toward them. 1 Corinthians 4:13 says; “ Charity suffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not, charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.” My baby’s innocence prohibits her from having ulterior motives for giving love. The sole purpose of her love is to unselfishly show how she feels about everyone she comes into contact with. We, as Christians, should be like babies in this way. Love and kindness can be shown in many different ways, including teaching others about God. We should seek out those who have not learned about God’s Word and show love towards them through giving them the keys to Eternal Life. In so doing, we must show a loving attitude so that our word might be heard. So, showing love can have a positive affect in that it can help our relationship with other and help others have a relationship with God.
By becoming like children, we draw ourselves closer to God. Let’s not think ourselves too intelligent or accomplished to learn from the smallest among us. They are newly come from God and have not yet experienced the troubles of this world. We can learn much from them and should take time each day to look at our children and mimic some of their ways. Jesus knew this when he said “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” (Luke 18:17.
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