My son likes to tell me, "Mom, you're such a preschool teacher!". Usually, it's because I've done or said something goofy, but I don't mind. . .I love being a preschool teacher! And I love spending time with children, learning from them, listening to them. Recently, I was struck by some of the things Jesus said about children: "unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3), and I started thinking about what 'being like little children' means.
One of the characteristics of very young children is 'object permanence', the idea that objects and people continue to exist even when they cannot be seen. Jim was in his last year of college and I was working full-time when Bethany was born. It broke my heart to see her little tears when I had to leave her in the daycare. Despite my assurances that I would return and take her home to her loving family, she continued to cry, not able to comprehend the truth of my words.
Is that the way God is with us? He sent Jesus to show us the true Kingdom and to remind us, "Child, don't let your heart be troubled. I'm returning for you, and I'm taking you home to your loving family." But I get so wrapped up in my grief, in my busyness, in my life, that I forget or maybe I just can't comprehend. In The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey says, "Jesus' first coming did not solve the problems of planet earth, rather it presented a vision of God's Kingdom to help break the earthly spell of delusion."
So, I'm here, living in this daycare kinda world, working hard, trying to do the right thing, trying to keep my eyes and my hope fixed on Jesus. And, my little Allison has already been picked up and is living in the reality of Heaven! So glad that I'll be seeing her again!
This is very good, Joni. You never fail to make me think.
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