what an innocent child taught me in two weeks
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-3
Though it’s been a while since I have sat down to write a blog post, the Lord has been in the details and I think it’s time to start sharing on here again! The holidays were such a restful time and nothing but sweet. I got to spend time with family that I had missed so much, and simply the feeling of home was all I needed to feel recharged. Like most people, I was burnt out and felt deprived of doing things I love– like writing!
The week before finals, I started serving at Kids Hope. If you do not know what Kids Hope does, it is an organization that works to be a light to children through an adult-child mentorship. Children may be referred to Kids Hope for a number of different reasons, but the idea is that they have a companion to do life with, for one hour, once a week. I signed up for it early in the first semester, and was finally gifted with a little first grade girl in one of the last weeks of the semester. I ended up starting the week before finals!
The night before I met my sweet girl, I prayed and prayed for her and our relationship. I prayed that I would be a light to her, that whatever she was going through would take the back burner while we talked, and that we would form a relationship that would leave a forever impact on both of us.
When I first met her, I saw a spark in her that showed me she was a fiery, bright girl that loved those around her so deeply. Not for one moment was she shy or afraid to let me know anything and everything about her. With a big, bright smile, she told me about her family and a new baby that had just arrived. We continued getting to know each other, and I knew we would be a good match.
After a long, restful break at home, I was excited to reunite with her very soon. We had another great hour together, and got to talk about our time over the holidays. I was even able to give her a little gift, because I knew she would appreciate it! The following Tuesday, however, I got a text that my little girl had moved, and I was unable to see her again. As I lay in bed that night, I began to think about it, and I realized she had taught me more than I could have ever taught her. Here is just some of the things I learned over the course of our time together:
- The faith of a child is beautiful
Matthew 18:2-4
2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
There is something so pure about the faith of a child. Whether or not she knows Jesus is unknown to me, but something about how she was always joyful in the midst of whatever she was facing at home, reminded me of how we should present ourselves to the Lord. Fully surrendered, filled with joy and thankfulness for the way he invites us into a life with Him.
- There is always something to be thankful for
Seeing the joy of a child who surely has gone through more than any first grader should is a beautiful thing. But it makes me take a moment and look around, realizing how much I have. Not to say life has been easy, but I have been given so much that I so often take for granted. Taking the stance of this innocent child means having joy in the midst of sorrow, because there is truly so much to be thankful for. How many times do I get caught up in my present troubles that I don’t realize what I have been praying for is right in front of me?
- My job is going to be difficult
I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to follow the Lord’s call to social work, and cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for me in the future! But not being able to see my girl anymore is sad and is leaving me feeling like I had to cut off a friendship. And the reality is I am going to have to do this all the time with clients in my future. I won’t be able to sit down with them years later and have coffee with them. But my prayer in all of that is that I can leave an impact on each one of them, meet them where they are, and witness the goodness of God through it all!
- Every breath is an opportunity to speak the name of Jesus
Though I was unaware that I would only get two weeks with my little girl, that did not change the fact that I wanted to use every moment I could to be a light to her. Now in hindsight, that time was even more precious than I could have imagined. You never know when a smile, a word, or a helping hand can leave someone forever changed. That’s why living a life reflective of Jesus is so important. To grow the Kingdom, we are called to sit with those who may be different from us, and let the Lord do his work through us!
I still pray for my little girl, and I hope that whatever she is going through will somehow lead her to the Lord. She sure taught me a lot in two weeks, and I am forever thankful for an opportunity like this!
