A child’s eye view of God

I love to read my nephew’s family blog and listen to my friend’s stories about her grandchildren – especially stories about the children’s spiritual insights. Their fresh look at life and spiritual truths exhibit one of the reasons Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matt. 19:14 NIV
With permission, I share the children’s viewpoints on their spiritual lessons.
One of the earliest lessons we try to teach children is to bow their heads in prayer and thankfulness for their food.
It was another family’s child prayer that caught my friend’s attention when they went out to eat one Sunday.
The father had ordered chicken for everyone.
When it arrived, he put two pieces of chicken and a roll in front of his daughter and said, “Now, bow your head and thank God for what you have.”
Obediently, the child bowed her head, folded her hands properly and prayed, “Thank you, God, for this dern chicken.”
Shocked, the father stopped her, “You don’t say ‘dern chicken’.”
“I don’t know why not. I am grateful – I just don’t like chicken that much.” the child answered flabbergasting her father.
Being truly thankful is difficult.
My nephew’s children were on the way home. The oldest, a pre-schooler, was acting rather ungrateful for a treat he had received. His mommy admonished him that he ought to be thankful for it.
“Thank you, Mommy,” he said,
“That’s good to say ‘thank you’, but I meant that you should be thankful in your heart,” she reminded him.
Mommy thought the conversation had ended, but a little later her son called to her from the back seat, “My heart said it.”
He had accepted his mother’s maxim without question; it was one of my grandchildren who questioned a popular saying.
She had accidentally dropped some food on the floor. Immediately her older sister chanted, “God made dirt, and dirt don’t hurt” implying her sister could still eat it.
The first-grader looked at me, “Does it really say that in the Bible, Grandma?”
“Well, no honey, it doesn’t say anything like that.”
Sorting out and understanding Biblical truths can be a challenge. The lessons begin with simple stories and pictures for the youngest of children.
My nephew’s nearly two-year old daughter happened on a drawing of Baby Jesus in the manger. She studied it a minute and declared, “Tiny baby is sleeping in his nest!”
Changed my perception of the Nativity.
Reading their family blog also provided a fresh look at miracles. My sister’s grandson had received water for supper. The child looked at it and asked for milk instead. His dad got up, dumped out the water and poured a glass of milk for him.
“Daddy changed my water into milk!” the toddler declared. Not quite wine, but a perfect choice for a healthy child.
For children, life focuses on fun, food and learning. As parents and grandparents we try to teach them everything we can. After reading a book about Sunday morning worship, the nephew’s wife turned to her son and asked, “ Why is Sunday the best day?”
“Because we get to go to the chapel and eat crackers” said he with delight, totally missing the whole lesson of the stodgy book.
His viewpoint parallels all the people who sought out Jesus the day after he fed 5,000 men with only five small barley loaves and two small fish.
In time the child will realize that as Jesus’ multiplied a simple lunch into a picnic for many, the lessons learned at home from his family will multiply and provide spiritual insights for the rest of his life.


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