THE children  THING

By Rev. David Hind

 David is now the minister of Trinity Church Leicester and his articles have been greatly appreciated. 

During a conversation with his seven-year-old son, a friend of mine was explaining about the Roman occupation of Britain. He talked about their advancement into Wales and England, but explained that they didn’t advance fully into Scotland. The boy said, “Daddy, I know why that happened, it’s because of the bagpipes, they make such a dreadful noise.” The same family were visiting relatives in Germany and the son looked at his dad as they all sat down to dinner and asked, “Dad, what was it you said you didn’t like about the Germans?” lastly, and my favourite, he once asked his dad, “Have you ever been run over by a combine harvester?” 

I love children. We can learn so much from them - their innocence, their honesty and their willingness to ask.     

 Children are receivers    They know their need to receive. From a newborn baby crying for food, to a young child wanting to be hugged, they know they can’t do everything themselves.  

 Children see and believe   When teaching, Susan occasionally dresses up as different char­acters to help get a message across. One of her characters is Ettie Macechnie, a kindly old Scottish lady from a highland croft who owns a ‘wee farm in Scotland”. Many children (and some adults) are completely taken in. 

Children are playful   All the time, everywhere, all over the world, children play. I have seen children in Africa play with stones and a tin and still be completely involved. 

Children live for the moment   They live each day to the full. They get excited about simple things and become engrossed in getting the most out of everything. You only have to visit a playground to see children thoroughly committed to the moment.

Children look to their parents   Many of us have been to a school play or a children’s performance of some kind. Whatever their teachers have said beforehand, there are very few children who can resist scanning the audience for familiar faces and then waving enthusiastically. 

Children love learning… and they do it all the time. They have a natural genius and see life in a different way. Spend any amount of time with small children and you will begin to catch again the wonder of learning and looking at life differently.                   

Children face issues head of life  When I arrived at my Mum’s house recently my four-year-old nephew, Ben, who was visiting from Africa and just becoming accustomed to the death of his granddad, looked at me and said, “Grandad’s dead.”                        

Children are not self-conscious   They get engrossed in their play. They can be Spiderman or Cinderella, they can talk to their imaginary friend, they can dance or shout their way around the garden without caring what anyone else thinks. Jesus valued and accepted children. He wanted them to be with Him.

 More than that, Jesus said to us, …. change and become like little children” (Matthew 18:3).   So   ·    Be a receiver  ·    Stop doubting and believe   ·    Enjoy life  ·    Make the most of every day  ·    Keep your eyes on the Father  ·    Be a learner  ·    Live with openness and truth

Please the Lord